WASHINGTON, PA, May 15, 2017 — Trixie Dust was all out to nail the stubborn leader, One Class Act, but she inched past to score in a harness racing career-best 1:55.2, fastest mile in Monday's $100,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series stake at The Meadows.
The event for 3-year-old filly trotters was contested over five divisions, with Gin's Tonic, Canwood, EZ Passer and My Cherry Pie also taking $20,000 splits. Dave Palone enjoyed a stake double behind Trixie Dust and My Cherrie Pie.
One Class Act took her field through a swift 1:25.2 three-quarters but showed no inclination to yield to the first-over Trixie Dust. The even-money favorite surged late to down One Class Act by a nose, with Massive Risk third.
"She's better racing from the back," Palone said of the daughter of Winning Mister-Emma J, "so I thought if I could sit tight and not have to use her until the last turn, she'd be fine. When I moved her, I thought she would win. She picked me right up like the good ones do. I drove her dad, and she reminds me a lot of him."
Rich Gillock trains Trixie Dust and owns with Paula Sokol.
Gin's Tonic stalked Ms Mullen from the pocket, then shot the Lightning Lane to prevail by a head for Jim Pantaleano. Great Kate earned show.
"When we had her at Freehold for the Lady Suffolk, she couldn't quite get around the turns there," said J. Neal Ehrhart, who conditions the daughter of Muscle Massive-Don't Say Don't — an $8,000 yearling acquisition — for Virginia Ehrhart. "But she likes this track. She won a Keystone Classic division here last year. She'll stay in the stallion series, but later in the year she has the Liberty Bell and the Simpson if she's good enough."
Canwood, who swept a late-closing series at The Meadows before encountering some tough older performers in an overnight event, relished the return to her division. She grabbed the lead first up for Brian Zendt and thwarted the uncovered challenge of Smartie Partie to score in 1:56.2. Igotsomethingtosay finished second, 1-1/4 lengths back, while Smartie Partie saved show.
"She won pretty handy today, and they stretched her a little bit, too," Zendt said. "I was being careful with her because I'd never had her to the half in 57 before. I didn't want to be too hard on her."
Bill Zendt trains the daughter of Cantab Hall-Hallywood for Judith Wolkimir and Fred Kayne.
Pantaleano and Zendt each piloted three winners on the 13-race card.
The Meadows Racetrack & Casino