by Evan Pattak, for the Meadows

Washington, PA — Southwind Nitro, the 2009 divisional Pennsylvania Fairs champion, showed that he may be ready for bigger and better things on Monday (May 17) at The Meadows when he took the fastest of five divisions of a $100,000 PA Stallion Series stake for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters.

Hoboken Sonny, Nates Choice, Tag The Lady and Eggipus Complex also captured $20,000 splits over a sloppy track. Tim Tetrick and trainer Ray Schnittker teamed for stake doubles with Nates Choice and Eggipus Complex.

Chris Gooden photo

Southwind Nitro and Aaron Merriman were 1:57.3 winners on Monday.

Southwind Nitro wore hopples for his successful tour of Pennsylvania fairs, but trainer William Daugherty, Jr. removed them for the sophomore campaign.

“I really didn’t think he needed them last year towards the end,” Daugherty said. “But he raced well in them, and I wanted to get through the season with them. I wouldn’t say the change gave him more speed. He’s bigger and stronger, and I never really let him down through the winter, and I was in no big hurry to start him back. So it’s a combination of things.”

In the stake, Aaron Merriman sent Southwind Nitro from post seven to the lead, where his gait was smooth through the heavy rain and howling winds. He triumphed in 1:57.3, a half-length better than Summer Heat, with 3-5 favorite Ellisarro Hanover third. Susan Daugherty owns Southwind Nitro, a son of SJ’s Caviar-New York To Paris whom she acquired as a yearling for $7,500.

On Tuesday, The Meadows hosts four divisions of a $259,132 Pennsylvania Sires Stake for sophomore colt and gelding trotters. Daugherty said he would watch the event closely to determine if he should promote Southwind Nitro to the next PASS leg at Harrah’s Chester.

“We’ll see how fast the bigger races go,” he said. “The next level would be tough. I’d rather keep him healthy where he is, but we’ll see.”

Hoboken Sonny had lost all eight of his previous races, but he followed cover like a veteran — and trotted on when that cover, Cassini Hall, cleared to the lead.

“He was sent to me last year when he wasn’t doing very well, but he showed promise,” said trainer/driver Jack Parker, Jr. “He needed to mature. Hopefully, he learned a lesson today. His family seems to get better with age, so I hope it works out for him.”

Hoboken Sonny prevailed in 1:58.2, with Tommaso 4-3/4 lengths back in second. Cassini Hall saved show. Parker owns the gelded son of S J’s Photo-Yankee Minuet with Neal Goldman and Richard Timbo.

Nates Choice cruised to victory on the front end, downing the pocket-sitting Speed N Brains by a length. Cimmaron Hall earned show.

“He just went enough to win; that was all we had to do today,” Tetrick said. “He’s pretty lazy. Ray said this horse isn’t big on passing but that he was in where we could just go with him.”

In the $25,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Pace, Red Star Hottie made it two in a row for Dave Palone when she moved from the pocket past the half and scored in 1:52. Spring Break was second, 1-3/4 lengths in arrears, while Save My Shark closed well for third. Ron Burke trains Red Star Hottie, a 5-year-old daughter of As Promised-Whitehorse Fever who won for the 18th time in 45 career starts for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

Palone drove four winners and Tetrick three on the 15-race card.