The spotlight will shine on Pennsylvania’s top three-year-olds on Saturday, Sept. 6 as Hollywood Casino at The Meadows hosts the $1.4 million USD Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships.
The blockbuster card features four $300,000 USD championships and four $50,000 USD consolations, with first post at 12:45 p.m.
The championship action begins in race five, the filly trot final, led by Hangover, the divisional point leader with two wins and two seconds in the prelims. Trained by Ake Svanstedt, she is the 6-5 morning line favourite and will leave from post one with U.S. Hall of Famer Dave Palone in the sulky. Local contender Payback Moni, trained by Steve Schoeffel and driven by Brady Brown, enters ranked second in the standings and will start from post seven.
Race six will showcase the male trotters, with co-point leaders The Fix Is In, trained and driven by Charlie Norris, and Hey Porter, with Dexter Dunn driving for trainer Tony Alagna, set to square off from posts one and five, respectively. Adding intrigue is 5-2 morning line choice Fashion Green, the division’s richest performer this year, who will leave from post eight with Tim Tetrick in the sulky for trainer Jim Campbell.
The pacing fillies take the stage in race seven, headlined by 8-5 morning line favourite and the top ranked horse in North American harness racing, Miki And Minnie, who rides a six-race winning streak and will start from the pylon position with Dunn driving for trainer Chris Ryder. Her only loss this season was by a mere head to Rodeo Drive Deo, who returns for a rematch with David Miller driving the Ron Burke-trained post six starter.
The action concludes with a heavyweight clash in race eight, the male pace championship. North America Cup champion Louprint will look to stay unbeaten in 2025, entering the race a perfect six-for-six. With Ronnie Wrenn Jr. at the lines for trainer Burke, the top ranked male sophomore pacer in harness racing will start from post seven but faces a deep field, including Adios winner Prince Hal Hanover, driven by Todd McCarthy and trained by Dr. Ian Moore, and Twisted Destiny, runner-up in divisional points with Dunn up for Ryder. The former will start from post eight while the latter drew the inside starting spot and gets the nod as the 5-2 morning line favourite.
With championship glory on the line, a $10,000 guaranteed Pick 4 (races five through eight) and many of the sport’s brightest stars in action, Saturday’s program promises one of the most thrilling afternoons of the season at The Meadows.
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association; photo of Miki And Minnie winning on Aug. 25 at The Red Mile)