Chase H Hanover and Southwind Gendry each captured a division of Saturday’s Pennsylvania Sire Stake (PASS) at The Meadows, giving David Miller a sweep of the $213,858 event for freshmen pacing colts and geldings. Miller’s big day didn’t end there, as he also won two PA Stallion Series splits and an overnight race to give him five victories on the 15-race card.
The winners had vastly different paths to victory in the PASS, known as the Tyler B. Chase H Hanover quarter-poled to the top and simply was the best from there, scoring in a career-fastest 1:51.1. Crunch Hanover was a half length back in second while Lous Pearlman rallied for show.
“We made a couple changes — we opened him up and put cups on him,” said winning trainer Scott Cox, who owns the $30,000 yearling purchase with Jason Ash. “I hope he still had something at the wire; it looked like he was getting a little lackadaisical. He’s kind of easy on himself.”
The Captaintreacherous-Calgary Hanover gelding soared over $100,000 in earnings.
Southwind Gendry faced perhaps a sterner challenge, trailing favorite Always A Miki by six lengths at the half and with no cover in sight. When Miller sent the Always B Miki-Gamblers Passion gelding first up, he responded and proved the more determined horse in the lane, defeating Always A Miki by a half length in 1:51.3. Whichwaytothebeach completed the ticket.
“I actually liked the trip because he wasn’t going to have to be three wide,” said winning trainer Ron Burke. “I knew once he got wheel to wheel with the other horse, he would make that colt race. This horse doesn’t get tired, and he tries.”
Southwind Gendry races for Burke Racing Stable, Phillip Collura, Knox Services and J&T Silva-Purnel&Libby.
While both Chase H Hanover and Southwind Gendry apparently have qualified for the $260,000 PASS championship Sept. 5 at Harrah’s Pocono, that won’t be confirmed until the points are officially tallied.
$60,000 PA Stallion Series — Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pacers
Miller powered to the point from the pylons with Bettor Not Talk and refused to release the two other horses vying for the front. The Hall of Famer knew what he was doing, as Bettor Not Talk never did surrender the lead, blazing to a stake record 1:51.2. Sweet Angel Boy was second, beaten three lengths, with Amazing Bet third. The time shaved two ticks from Biggie’s previous stake mark.
“I would’ve turned somebody loose, but there were two of them out there, and I didn’t want to get away third,” Miller said. “He did it pretty easily. I’ve thought all along he was a pretty nice horse.”
Robert Cleary trains the Betting Line-Talk Time gelding for Allen Wenc. Somewhereinverona and Twin B Edge took the other stallion series splits.
Live racing at The Meadows resumes Monday when the 15-race program features a pair of stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings—a $188,732 PASS and a $60,000 stallion series event—as well as a $5,000 total-pool guarantee for the Early Pick 4 (Race 3) and a $3,058.87 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 p.m. (EDT).
(The Meadows)