Stevensville, who has chased the elite of his division for most of the year, revelled in their absence Tuesday at The Meadows when he captured the $40,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series championship for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers in a nifty 1:50.4.
The Meadows also hosted the three other $40,000 finals for sophomores, with Broadway Socks (filly trotters), Lucys Pearl (filly pacers) and Frost Free Hanover (colt and gelding trotters) taking the other events. All four winners were odds-on favourite.
While he hadn’t been embarrassed in such top events as the Adios, the Cane Pace and the Carl Milstein, Stevensville tended to be racing for minor awards against the division’s bearcats. In Tuesday’s championship, he was the marquee player and raced like it, making the front for Tim Tetrick after being looped from the gate and barrelling to a three-length victory over Avalanche Hanover. Sean Liam Q earned show.
“He’s been racing in some tough company, some really top three-year-olds like Mcwicked and Hes Watching,” Tetrick said. “He can get cheques with those; he just hasn’t been able to beat them. Today, he did the work and got the job done.”
Ray Schnittker trains the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Wild West Show, who extended his career bankroll to $253,079, and owns with Paul Bordogna and Ryan Miller.
Broadway Socks made the lead from Post 7 for Dan Rawlings and never let the pocket-sitting Outsourced Hanover cut significantly into her margin, downing her by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:55.4. Mariah De Vie was third.
“She’s an overachiever,” said David Wade, who conditions the daughter of Broadway Hall-I Gotta Feelin and owns with Gerald Brittingham and William F. Peel III. “She doesn’t finish quite like I think she ought to, but I’m not complaining. I’m tickled to death. She’s a sweetheart.”
Wade, who indicated he’s leaning toward racing Broadway Socks at four, said she’ll be pointed to the Buckette at Delaware and the Keystone Classic at The Meadows. The win left Broadway Socks just shy of $200,000 in lifetime earnings.
It took Lucys Pearl more than a quarter to make the front, but she was far the best once she got there, scoring in 1:51.2 for Dave Palone and trainer Ron Gurfein, who owns the daughter of Well Said-Remember When with Elizabeth Novak. Real Drama was second, 2-1/4 lengths back, while Beach Body completed the ticket.
“'Gurf' let her race against aged mares, which toughened her up,” Palone said. “That’s by far the best she’s ever been for me. She may be small but she’s blessed with such speed. She’ll give you that eighth in 13 anytime you need it.”
Lucy’s Pearl now boasts a career bankroll of $166,100.
Frost Free Hanover vaulted to the early lead for Brian Zendt and notched a convincing victory in 1:55.2 over Revrac Harbour, who raced well first over. It Really Matters finished third.
“I think bringing him along slowly was important (in developing consistency),” said winning trainer Leslie Zendt. “We taught him how to race his first couple starts, never raced him on the front end. He just learned how to be a racehorse.”
Leslie Zendt, who campaigns the Cantab Hall-Free Spirit gelding with Bill Zendt, Sig Wolkomir and Fred Kayne, said the $15,000 yearling acquisition will compete in several more stakes this year before being sold at Harrisburg.
Palone drove six winners and Aaron Merriman four on the 16-race card.
(The Meadows)