WASHINGTON, PA, Sept. 8, 2016 — All four Pennsylvania juvenile champions — Pure Country, Broadway Donna, Ideal Jimmy, Lagerfeld — will defend their titles in Saturday's $1,208,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes championships for harness racing 3-year-olds at The Meadows. Each division sports a $252,000 final and a $50,000 consolation. First post is 1 PM.
Diamond Creek Racing's Pure Country is perhaps the flashiest of the quartet — she was undefeated in 10 starts at 2 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, which extended 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 3-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 goes from post 4 in race 6, with Brett Miller aboard.
Lagerfeld prevailed in a PASS championship that got messy, picking up the pieces left by multiple breakers. At 3, though, he's had several noteworthy performances for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding, Herb Liverman and Jim Fielding, including thirds in the Yonkers Trot final and a Hambletonian elimination.
"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; of the 32 horses scheduled to compete in the championships, the Hall of Famer conditions 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 wins to start her career and earned a divisional championship. The going has been tougher for her this year; 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 long shot 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)."
She'll leave from post 6 in race 6 for David Miller
Ideal Jimmy, 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 drew 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:
PASS Championship — 3-Year-Old Filly Pacers (Race 6)
1. Call Me Queen Be – Somebeachsomewhere – Scott Zeron – Ross Croghan
2. Darlinonthebeach – Somebeachsomewhere – David Miller – Nancy Johansson
3. Lispatty – McArdle – Mark MacDonald – Gilberto-Garcia Herrera
4. Pure Country – Somebeachsomewhere – Brett Miller – Jimmy Takter
5. Newborn Sassy – Western Ideal – Tim Tetrick – Jo Ann Looney-King
6. Kiss Me Onthebeach – Somebeachsomewhere – John Campbell – Chris Ryder
7. I Said Diamonds – Well Said – Jim Pantaleano – Matias Ruiz
8. Shesasmokinlady – McArdle – Ray Paver – Ray Paver
9 (AE) Skinny Dipper – Somebeachsomewhere – Andrew McCarthy – Ross Croghan
10 (AE) Shezarealdeal – Western Ideal – Dave Palone – Ross Croghan
PASS Championship — 3-Year-Old Filly Trotters (Race 8)
1. Ginny Weasley – Andover Hall – Aaron Merriman – Ake Svanstedt
2. Kathy Parker – Andover Hall – Yannick Gingras – Jimmy Takter
3. Spicedbourbongirl – Cantab Hall – Jeff Gregory – Jeff Gregory
4. Sunset Glider – Cantab Hall – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter
5. Black Broadway – Broadway Hall – Corey Callahan – Michael Eaton
6. Broadway Donna – Donato Hanover – David Miller – Jim Campbell
7. Womans Will – Donato Hanover – Andy Miller – Julie Miller
8. Miss Tezsla – Andover Hall – Brett Miller – Jimmy Takter
9 (AE) Ultimate Shopper – Yankee Glide – Tim Tetrick – Anette Lorentzon
10 (AE) Hot Curry – Muscle Massive – Ron Burke – Ron Burke
PASS Championship — 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pacers (Race 9)
1. Another Daily Copy – Somebeachsomewhere – Tony Hall – Nicholas DeVita
2. Fernando Hanover – Dragon Again – Tim Tetrick – Ron Burke
3. Big Top Hanover – Western Ideal – Mike Wilder – Ron Burke
4. JK Will Power – Somebeachsomewhere – David Miller – Ron Burke
5. Check Six – Somebeachsomewhere – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
6. Ideal Jimmy – Western Ideal – Corey Callahan – Erv Miller
7. Western Fame – Western Ideal – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter
8. Manhattan Beach – Somebeachsomewhere – Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke
9. (AE) Arthur Pendragon – Dragon Again – Dan Altmeyer – Dan Altmeyer
10. (AE) More Dragon – Dragon Again – Dave Palone – Ron Burke
PASS Championship — 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trotters (Race 10)
1. Milligan's School – Yankee Glide – Andy Miller – Julie Miller
2. Hititoutofthepark – Yankee Glide – Corey Callahan – John Butenschoen
3. Love Matters – Explosive Matter – Yannick Gingras – Jimmy Takter
4. Cufflink Hanover – Andover Hall – David Miller – Chris Oakes
5. Hollywood Highway – Muscle Massive – John Campbell – Staffan Lind
6. Truemass Volo – Muscle Massive – Matt Kakaley – Doug Hamilton
7. Lagerfeld – Yankee Glide – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter
8. Reigning Moni – Donato Hanover – Brett Miller – Jimmy Takter
9. (AE) Taco Tuesday – Cantab Hall – Tim Tetrick – Frank Antonacci
10. (AE) Tight Lines – Yankee Glide – Jeff Gregory Jeff Gregory
Evan Pattak
The Meadows Racetrack & Casino