Washington, PA — Allegiant blazed the back half in :55.2 en route to victory in a stakes-record 1:52.3 in Friday’s $52,355 Currier & Ives for 3-year-old filly trotters at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. The time is the fastest of any winner — regardless of gender — in the 50-year history of the prestigious stake.

Allegiant blazed the back half in :55.2 en route to victory in a stakes-record 1:52.3 in Friday’s $52,355 Currier & Ives for 3-year-old filly trotters. Chris Gooden photo.

Allegiant took the field through the opening half in :57.1, but when the 4-5 favorite Pizzelle launched a challenge from third, Allegiant found another gear — with no urging from winning driver Hunter Myers.

“I gave her a few taps down the stretch just to keep her attention, but the whole mile was 100 percent her,” Myers said. “We finished with her ear plugs still in. She has tons of upward potential.”

The daughter of Tactical Landing-Too Good For You defeated the pocket-sitting Tactical Lori by three lengths, with Pizzelle third.

Allegiant, a Hambletonian Oaks eligible, is heavily staked this season, so her eye-popping performance was a relief to trainer Vernon Beachy after a slow start to her sophomore campaign which saw her lose three straight New Jersey Sire Stakes.

“She had bad luck in Jersey, and the competition was tough,” Beachy says of his $50,000 yearling acquisition. “Last trip she got locked in. Probably her next start is the Moni Maker at Scioto.”

Allegiant now has banked $343,397 for owner Ryan Smith.

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and trainer Ron Burke each enjoyed a four-bagger on the 13-race card, giving them nine and eight wins, respectively, over the last two programs.

Saturday’s Belmont Day card at The Meadows begins at the special post time of 11:30 a.m. The program features a $909.29 carryover in the Early Pentafecta (race four).