by Evan Pattak for The Meadows

MEADOW LANDS, PA , April 1, 2005—Ignoring a stinging rain and deteriorating track conditions, Rita Hall made up five lengths in the stretch and captured the $13,000 final of the Yankee Goddess, a late-closing series for 3- and 4-year-old distaff pacers, Friday night at The Meadows. Tattootina was ½- length back in second, while Jamie’s Character finished third. Time for the mile was 1:55.4, fastest in Rita Hall’s nine-race career.

Rita Hall broke her maiden in the final preliminary leg of the series, and winning driver Brian Zendt said he could observe steady improvement in the 3-year-old daughter of Blissful Hall.

“She was a little sore a month ago,” Zendt said, “but she got sounder every week.

Nevertheless, Zendt said, a favorable post position—Rita Hall left from the rail—probably was the key to the win.

“If we’d drawn outside, I probably would have been racing for a check,” Zendt said. “But when we could get away close and didn’t have to move until the middle of the last turn, that helped her a lot.”

Dane Snyder, who trains Rita Hall for Enviro Stables, noted that the filly was unraced at 2 due to repeated problems behind the starting gate.

“When we got her, she would make a lot of breaks, so we’ve been real careful with her,” Snyder said. “But she’s been better and better as the weeks have gone on.

“The position definitely helped us tonight. When we drew the rail, I thought, boy, with a trip, we’ll be tough. Sure enough, we were.”

Snyder said he’ll point Rita Hall to the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes. The win was fitting for Snyder, as he trained Yankee Goddess during her pacing days at The Meadows.

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The Friday night card included the top filly-and-mare trotting and pacing events of the week. In the trot, Lisa’s Laser sped to the top for trainer-driver Doug Snyder (Dane’s brother) and never faced a serious challenge. The win was her fifth in the last seventh starts—all against the top distaff trotters at The Meadows.

The pace went to Puss And Boots, who was seeing her first racing action in more than eight months and used four qualifiers to prepare for her return. Despite the layoff, Puss And Boots and driver Tony Hall made a first-over move stand up. Virgil Morgan, Jr. trains the 5-year-old daughter of Western Hanover.