by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows

Meadow Lands, PA — Dick Stillings guided Allamerican Apex through a hazardous trip, and the freshman filly outlasted the others in the lane to win the $16,000 final of the A.W. Capone Memorial Pace at The Meadows on Friday.

Chris Gooden Photo

Allamerican Apex and Dick Stillings captured the Capone Memorial Final on Friday.

The winning time for the Western Hanover youngster was 1:57², a career best despite a slow last quarter of :31¹. Blue Jean Hanover and Silhouette, part of a rare five-horse entry (trained by Randy Bendis) in the field of eight two-year-old filly pacers, were second and third, respectively.

The race was heavily influenced by the antics of Della Ware, a talented filly who had trouble adjusting to daylight racing. Fumbly-gaited and off stride early, she recovered and shot to the lead by the half. When she broke again while on the lead at the three-quarter pole, it virtually eliminated horses stacked up behind her.

“That might be the first time she was caught out here in the sun, and she was jumping shadows from the light poles,” said her driver, Brian Zendt. “After I rushed her to the front, she wasn’t tired, she had plenty of pace. But I couldn’t get her around the shadows.”

Stillings however, saw that Zendt was struggling with his charge and pulled Allamerican Apex sooner than he otherwise might have. When Della Ware jumped for the final time, Allamerican Apex was in the clear on the outside, with enough pop to pass the first-over Cool Character and endure the difficult last quarter.

“Brian’s horse was rough going to the half-mile pole, so I was watching out for her,” Stillings said. “You could tell she was going to make a break way before she did it. There wasn’t anything Brian could do.”

Mickey Burke trains Allamerican Apex, who was acquired by owner George Leon for $62,000 at the 2003 yearling auction at Harrisburg. Although she’s finished first or second in six of seven career starts, Stillings said she was not herself in her last several starts — including a victory in a division of the Reynolds Memorial Stake at Pocono Downs.

“She hasn’t been on the iron,” Stillings confirmed. “Maybe we’re too quick with some of these two-year-olds sometimes. Fillies don’t stay sharp in this hot weather. She’ll come back. Give her credit. She had a bad trip today but she hung in and won.”

The series is named for the late A. William Capone, longtime Meadows owner with his wife Alvira and a guiding force in the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association. A protean figure, Capone was successful as a business executive, as a breeder of Airedales and as chairman of the Duquesne University Board of Trustees.