Keystone Activator, who probably would have been gelded if he performed poorly in Thursday's $125,389 Keystone Classic at The Meadows, got the message big time.
On a dreary, drizzly day not designed for giant miles, he scored in 1:55.2, a World Record for freshman trotting colts on a five-eighths mile track. The previous record of 1:55.3 was held jointly by Lear Jetta and Adrian Chip.
Slowed by intermittent sickness, Keystone Activator enjoyed only moderate success before today, winning one of eight starts with a record of 2:00 in a Chester Downs qualifier. Jim Raymer, who trains and drives the colt for Trillium Racing Stable and Tammie Raymer, rigged the chestnut son of S Js Caviar with hopples before his last race, a change that seemed to help.
"He has the ability," Raymer said. "The hopples helped keep his mind on his business. He could do without him, but if we're to race him right now, we need him to keep his focus. He'd probably be a better gelding, but he's a good colt the way he is."
Keystone Activator dueled with Broadway Bistro through a demanding first quarter of :28.2 when Raymer made a key decision to pocket Broadway Bistro and David Miller if he could.
"If Dave could have come a little stronger - his horse was kind of drifting sideways when he pulled on me - I might have taken back," Raymer said. "I thought I would take my shot, and if it didn't work out, he would be turned out and gelded. He's the right colour to be a nice riding horse. He must have heard that story before the race."
Keystone Activator grabbed the lead and completed his historic mile with panels of 29.1, 29 and 28.4. Garcon closed well for second, while Broadway Bistro saved show.
Raymer, who drove the record mile on his 56th birthday, gave Keystone Activator cause for celebration as well.
"Will we geld him now? No, not really," Raymer said. "He's eligible to the Breeders Crown. The plan was to race today and see where we were."
The stake was contested over three divisions, with Braggart and NF Quotable - both piloted by Miller - taking the other splits.
Braggart, who captured the Pennsylvania championship at better than 24-1, got help in that race when heavy favourite Salutation Hanover broke stride. Braggart needed no help today as he stalked Salutation Hanover from the pocket and passed his rival in the stretch, scoring by a neck in 1:57.3 - a stake record that stood only until Keystone Activator crossed the wire. Technicalybroadway was well back in third.
It was the fifth consecutive win - all in stakes - for the son of Broadway Hall who is trained by Jim Arledge Jr. Nevertheless, Joe Sbrocco, who owns Braggart with William Donovan, wasn't ready to specify where the colt will race next.
"He was a late foal, and we were hoping he'd develop as he has," Sbrocco said of the $80,000 yearling acquisition. "We knew we were going to take our time with him. We're not sure where he'll go from here. He's eligible to the Matron and the Breeders Crown, but we don't want to get too many starts in him this year."
NF Quotable, runner-up in the PASS final who now is headed for the Matron, enjoyed a leisurely 1:01.1 half on the lead, then coasted to a victory in 1:59. Photoforwin was second while Whata Hustler finished third.
A mid-season acquisition for Daniel and Thomas Courtemanche, NF Quotable has finished in the money in all 10 career starts and earned more than $162,000.
"I knew this colt from Day 1," said his trainer, Sam Beegle. "He does his business. He does it when he's supposed to do it. Right now, he's one tough little cat."
(The Meadows)