All four Pennsylvania juvenile champions — Pure Country, Broadway Donna, Ideal Jimmy, Lagerfeld — will defend their titles in Saturday’s $1.2-million Pennsylvania Sires Stakes championships for three-year-olds at the Meadows.
Each division sports a $252,000 final and a $50,000 consolation. First post is 1 p.m.
Diamond Creek Racing’s Pure Country is perhaps the flashiest of the quartet — she was undefeated in 10 starts as a two-year-old and a consensus pick for the Dan Patch Award for freshman filly pacers. This year, the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Western Montana has been human, so to speak, losing six of 13 races.
Yet several of her defeats have come in top stakes against males, several others from extreme outside post positions. She enters the PASS final off a hard-earned 1:49.2 victory in the Simcoe Stakes, which lifted her career bankroll to more than $1.48 million. Jimmy Takter, who trains Pure Country and Lagerfeld, said he still regards Pure Country as the divisional leader.
“She’s been pretty decent against the best horses in the sport,” Takter said. “It’s a little bit more difficult to be dominant as a three-year-old. She did quite well against the boys, but with those outside posts, what can you do? She’s very professional. She should be a serious factor on Saturday.”
Pure Country will start from Post 4 in Race 6 with Brett Miller aboard.
Lagerfeld prevailed in a PASS championship that got messy, as he picked up the pieces left by multiple breakers. At age three, though, he’s had several noteworthy performances for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding, Herb Liverman and Jim Fielding, including thirds in the final of the Yonkers Trot and in an elimination of the Hambletonian.
“He won a couple early then did some stupid things, broke in a couple starts,” Takter said of the son of Yankee Glide-Southern Senorita. “He had a pretty good Hambletonian — came home in :26.3 — and wasn’t too far off in the Yonkers Trot. He’s raced well at the Meadows before.”
Mark MacDonald will pilot Lagerfeld from Post 7 in Race 10.
It will be a busy afternoon for Takter. A total of 32 horses are scheduled to compete in the championships, and the Hall of Fame conditioner trains eight of them. Asked to recommend any of his starters who may be beneath the radar, he suggested Love Matters, who’ll compete against Lagerfeld in the colt and gelding trot.
“I think he’s ready for a good mile,” Takter said. “I might consider him a better shot than Lagerfeld.”
Broadway Donna romped to nine wins in 10 starts to start her career and earned a divisional championship. The going has been tougher for her this year, as the Fashion Farms homebred daughter of Donato Hanover-Broadway Schooner has two wins in six starts. Broadway Donna added lasix before her last start, when she finished second to 20-1 longshot Black Broadway
“She didn’t have her usual kick finishing,” said her trainer, Jim Campbell. “She may need another start on lasix. She’s had a good week so far. I don’t see any reason why she wouldn’t (have a big race).”
Broadway Donna will start from Post 6 in Race 6 for David Miller
Ideal Jimmy, who is trained by Erv Miller for D.R. Van Witzenburg, may be the most unlikely of the quartet to repeat. Not only did he make the final without a PASS victory this season, but he’s also winless in 11 starts overall this year. Plus, he must deal with five contenders from the powerful Ron Burke stable – four of the Burke quintet started in the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids. The Western Ideal-Armbro Nectarine gelding has drawn Post 6 in Race 9 with Corey Callahan in the sulky.
The fields for Saturday’s PASS championships, in post position order, with drivers and trainers, appears below.
PASS Championship — Three-Year-Old Filly Pacers (Race 6)
1. Call Me Queen Be – Scott Zeron – Ross Croghan
2. Darlinonthebeach – David Miller – Nancy Johansson
3. Lispatty – Mark MacDonald – Gilberto-Garcia Herrera
4. Pure Country – Brett Miller – Jimmy Takter
5. Newborn Sassy – Tim Tetrick – Jo Ann Looney-King
6. Kiss Me Onthebeach – John Campbell – Chris Ryder
7. I Said Diamonds – Jim Pantaleano – Matias Ruiz
8. Shesasmokinlady – Ray Paver – Ray Paver
9 (AE) Skinny Dipper – Andrew McCarthy – Ross Croghan
10 (AE) Shezarealdeal – Dave Palone – Ross Croghan
PASS Championship — Three-Year-Old Filly Trotters (Race 8)
1. Ginny Weasley – Aaron Merriman – Ake Svanstedt
2. Kathy Parker – Yannick Gingras – Jimmy Takter
3. Spicedbourbongirl – Jeff Gregory – Jeff Gregory
4. Sunset Glider – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter
5. Black Broadway – Corey Callahan – Michael Eaton
6. Broadway Donna – David Miller – Jim Campbell
7. Womans Will – Andy Miller – Julie Miller
8. Miss Tezsla – Brett Miller – Jimmy Takter
9 (AE) Ultimate Shopper – Tim Tetrick – Anette Lorentzon
10 (AE) Hot Curry – Ron Burke – Ron Burke
PASS Championship — Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pacers (Race 9)
1. Another Daily Copy – Tony Hall – Nicholas DeVita
2. Fernando Hanover – Tim Tetrick – Ron Burke
3. Big Top Hanover – Mike Wilder – Ron Burke
4. JK Will Power – David Miller – Ron Burke
5. Check Six – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
6. Ideal Jimmy – Corey Callahan – Erv Miller
7. Western Fame – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter
8. Manhattan Beach – Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke
9. (AE) Arthur Pendragon – Dan Altmeyer – Dan Altmeyer
10. (AE) More Dragon – Dave Palone – Ron Burke
PASS Championship — Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trotters (Race 10)
1. Milligans School – Andy Miller – Julie Miller
2. Hititoutofthepark – Corey Callahan – John Butenschoen
3. Love Matters – Yannick Gingras – Jimmy Takter
4. Cufflink Hanover – David Miller – Chris Oakes
5. Hollywood Highway – John Campbell – Staffan Lind
6. Truemass Volo – Matt Kakaley – Doug Hamilton
7. Lagerfeld – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter
8. Reigning Moni – Brett Miller – Jimmy Takter
9. (AE) Taco Tuesday – Tim Tetrick – Frank Antonacci
10. (AE) Tight Lines – Jeff Gregory – Jeff Gregory
(Meadows)