by Evan Pattak for The Meadows

MEADOW LANDS, PA, June 11, 2005—Roddy’s Bags Again unleashed a blistering first-over move on a sloppy track Saturday night at The Meadows to win a division of the $82,499 Keystone Classic for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers in 1:50.2, shattering the stake mark established only two races earlier.

The stake for Pennsylvania-breds was contested in three divisions, with the other splits taken by Syncro’s Z Tam and Voracious Hanover, whose stake record lasted about 30 minutes.

Chris Gooden photo

Roddy’s Bags won a division of the $82,499 Keystone Classic for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers in 1:50.2, shattering the stake mark.

A son of Dragon Again, Roddy’s Bags Again entered the Keystone Classic off an outstanding performance in the Burlington, where he was beaten less than a length by the top colt Runover Feeling.

On Saturday, he sat a comfortable fourth when driver Wil Yoder sent him first up. The colt responded with a mighty brush, opening up a 4-length lead by the three-quarter pole–and with plenty of pace left. It was the fastest winning drive in the career of Yoder, who kept Roddy’s Bags Again to his task despite the large lead.

“It was quite the ride,” Yoder said. “The trainer told me to wait as long as I could, then come hard with him because he’ll fall asleep sometimes. So I tried to keep after him to keep his attention.”

Tony Hutton, who trains Roddy’s Bags Again for Robert L. Messick, said the big move didn’t surprise him.

“He was a nice horse last year, but he was a bit of a hard-luck horse, had some problems with sickness,” Hutton said. “His luck has changed.”

Pembroke Flex was second by 5-1/2 lengths, with Kublai Pan a distant third. The stake record entering the evening was held jointly by Noble Ability (Bill Zendt, 1997) and Ruffed Up (Bill Fahy, 2000).

Voracious Hanover successfully assaulted the old mark as well, scoring in 1:51 on a track still rated “Fast” before the rain began. The son of Dragon Again was parked out for the first quarter and faced relentless pressure after achieving the lead, but driver Ben Stafford, Jr. said he was confident the pocket-sitting All American Apache and Pat Lachance would not pass him.

“I thought I was the winner, as much as you can know you’re a winner without actually crossing the finish line first,” Stafford said. “I know my colt—when I speak to him, he’ll go a little bit. With Pat on my back, I thought I could get away from him enough, even if he did have pace.

“He’s a pretty decent horse, and he does like this track. But he just likes his job.”

All American Apache was second by 1-3/4 lengths. Up Front Tornado rallied for show. Ben Stafford trains Voracious Hanover for K.C. Stafford and J.P. Heckler. It was the fourth career win for the colt—and third at The Meadows.

Lachance visited “ Victory Lane ” with Syncro’s Z Tam, who won a division of the Governor’s Cup and more than $217,000 at 2. The son of Blissful Hall powered to the front with a first-over move down the back side, opened up a daylight lead but was all out to hold off the late charge of Fly Fly Buckeye by a nose. The late-pacing Look Ma No Pans was third.

“He has a good brush, but when he gets by himself, he gets lonely,” Lachance said. “He’s a green horse, and he just figures it’s over. Our idea is to race him in the Meadowlands Pace. We didn’t want to do both the North America Cup and the Meadowlands Pace because he’s not a big colt. He’s staked to pretty much everything after that.”

Lachance co-owns Syncro’s Z Tam, a $40,000 yearling purchase, with Mjgb Racing Stables. The winning time was 1:52.4.