Swoosh Hanover swooshed to the lead and a stakes record 1:55.4 Thursday at the Meadows when she captured a division of the $68,800 Keystone Classic for three-year-old trotting fillies.
The stakes' other division went to Hawaiianphotograph, who triumphed in 1:56.1 - a stakes mark that was erased about 30 minutes later by Swoosh Hanover. Entering the day, Win B held the stakes record of 1:56.3 for Robert Blanton, Jr.
Swoosh Hanover, a daughter of Lindy Lane--Swift Kathy, does her best racing at or near the front, but winning driver Tony Hall said she isn't speed-crazy.
"She felt as strong today as she did two or three months ago when I drove her," said Hall, who drove five winners on the 16-race card. "It's amazing that she's still that strong so late in the year. Racing on the lead definitely is her preference, but she's not an aggressive horse at all. Actually, she tries to relax a little too much on the lead sometimes."
In the Keystone Classic, Swoosh Hanover opened a three-length lead on favourite Charged Freight, then cruised home to down that rival by a half-length. Ithoughtyouknew, who won the Pennsylvania Fair Final in her last outing, was well back in third.
Richard Johnson trains Swoosh Hanover, who was unraced at two and now has won six of 11 starts, for Fabulous Farms LLC.
Hawaiianphotograph was enjoying a fine campaign until she broke stride in consecutive starts - including the PASS championship - at Chester Downs. Trainer Bill Zendt rigged her with hopples, an experiment that lasted precisely one race before driver Dave Palone advised against it and Zendt scuttled it.
"That was probably a mistake," Zendt said. "We thought we'd try her with hopples, but Dave said she didn't have the trot with them. I don't know why she made those breaks, but Dave said she really feels solid now."
In the Keystone Classic, the daughter of SJs Photo--Hawaiian Rose got away third from the rail, yet Palone sensed she was unhappy covered up.
"She was so hot today the rail was the worst spot for her," said Palone, who had four wins on the day. "I was actually in trouble in the first turn. I thought the right move was to get her out rather than have her make a mistake."
Once on the lead, Hawaiianphotograph was all business, scoring by a neck over Classic Lane and AJs Baby. Shanamphilaniklou owns Hawaiianphotograph, who now sports lifetime earnings of $226,134. Zendt said the filly may enter the Matron and likely will race at four.
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(Meadows)