by Evan Pattak for The Meadows
MEADOW LANDS, PA, Sept. 10, 2004—Blueridge Mosaic took the fastest division of the $126,800 Keystone Classic for freshman filly pacers Friday at The Meadows, but it was another ‘Keystone Classic’—driver Dave Palone–who stole the show, sweeping all five splits of the event for Pennsylvania-breds.
Palone also scored with Perfect Sensation, Allamerican Apex, Restive Hanover and Mississippi River. Palone’s brother, Mike Palone, registered a training triple with Blueridge Mosaic, Perfect Sensation and Mississippi River, while owner Heather B. Ronay also enjoyed multiple wins, with Blueridge Mosaic and Perfect Sensation.
The event drew a record 34 entrants, but the competitive fields didn’t stop Palone from weaving a personal tapestry embroidered with victories in three overnight features on the 13-race card.
“Everything has to go right to achieve something like this,” Dave Palone said. “I had some nice fillies who were in good spots. But it’s one of those deals where it just worked out.”
Three drivers previously swept multiple-division stakes at The Meadows—Stanley Dancer (1970), Dick Stillings (1990), Doug Brown (1990)—but each of those events included three splits.
Sweeping a multiple-division stake is nothing new for Palone, who last year won all four $100,000 PA Sires Stake championships for 3-year-olds on a single card at Pocono Downs—the core of his seven-race winning streak in PA championships for sophomores that spanned parts of three years. How does Friday’s sweep compare to his domination of the championships for state-breds?
“Not near as good. Trust me: When the driver’s checks come in, not near as good,” Palone joked. “Seriously, I think winning those seven straight 3-year-old championships probably is the toughest thing I’ve done. They can talk about the two times I won 10 on a card, but when you stop and think about seven finals in a row, that’s pretty scary.”
Blueridge Mosaic, a daughter of Real Artist, finished a respectable fourth in an elimination of the Sweetheart Pace at The Meadowlands, but other performances were marred by pre-race jitters that contributed to missteps in the races themselves. Palone said brother Mike addressed those problems by shaking up the filly’s style and equipment.
“She’s been way too grabby,” Dave Palone said. “She’d kind of wear herself out with her nerves. When she gets nervous, she doesn’t steer as well, doesn’t breathe as well, takes a lot out of herself scoring down. We added some earplugs and made a conscious effort to keep her good and quiet before the start and especially the first eighth. I was bound and determined to race her from off the pace. Once I got her to relax in the first turn and the fractions were good and honest, she sat in there pretty comfortably for me.”
Palone gave Blueridge Mosaic a patient second-over trip, and the youngster responded by powering to a 4-1/2-length victory in 1:54.2 over Red Hot Heather. Early leader Sub Rosa Hanover rallied for show.
Perfect Sensation had yet to win a stake, but the daughter of Real Artist made quick work of her field, as she and Palone cruised to a comfortable first half of 58.3 on the lead.
“When I crossed over and got a sleeper the second quarter, I knew it was over,” Palone said. “I knew she had a big back half in her. And she won pretty easily, too.”
Palone said his brother contributed significantly to the victory by improving the filly’s shoeing.
“Mike put aluminum shoes on her and squared her toe behind,” Palone said. “She’d been cross-firing a little bit. She’s always been a willing filly, always wanting to do her work. The shoe change made a big difference.”
The winning time was 1:55.3. The pocket-sitting Red Hot dame was second by a length, with Stick Up in third.
Allamerican Apex won for the fifth time in 11 starts, and it was in characteristic style when she got away on top, appeared beaten in the lane by first-over challenger Blue Artist, then dug in to win by a neck. Blue Artist faded to third, while Blue Jean Hanover charged up the “Lightning Lane” to earn place money. Palone noted that the daughter of Western Hanover may have been showing the effects of her demanding win in her last start, a Pennsylvania Sires Stake at Pocono that went in 1:54.2.
“She went a hard trip at Pocono—she was tortured with fast fractions,” Palone said. “I don’t think she was on top of her game today, but she showed how tough she is. You have to give her a lot of credit. She’s had a tough summer, and I’ve never seen her go a bad race.”
Mickey Burke conditions Allamerican Apex for George M. Leon.