by Evan Pattak for The Meadows

MEADOW LANDS, PA, May 1, 2004—Day After Day, who missed her freshman season with injuries, remained undefeated in three sophomore starts, turning in the fastest split of 1:54.1 in the Adios Betty, a Pennsylvania Sires Stake for 3-year-old pacing fillies Saturday night at The Meadows. The event drew a record 38 horses in five divisions.

Other divisional winners were Fie Foe Fire, Jus’ Chilln Out, Ice Sculpture and Hrubys N’ Diamonds. Driver Dave Palone, trainer Jim Campbell and owners Arlene and Jules Siegel recorded doubles.

Day After Day was training down crisply last year when the daughter of Western Hanover hit a plateau, said Paul Reid, second trainer for Eddie Lohmeyer. A medical examination revealed a stress fracture in each shoulder, more than enough to sideline her for the year.

She won two conditioned races at the Meadowlands before her Adios Betty triumph, a 1/2-length victory over a gritty Pantidepressant. Palone, sitting second with Pantidepressant, pulled the pocket before the 3/4 mark.

“My horse going to the half got running in and made a little skip,” winning driver Bill Fahy said, “and Dave thought the only place he could catch me was in the turn. He got up to her head, but when we straightened out for home, he couldn’t get by her.

Pantidepressant was second by three lengths over Au Courant Hanover. Robert and Lauren B. Tucker own Day After Day.

Fie Foe Fire, also unraced at 2, broke her maiden in fine style, roaring four wide in the lane to score in 1:54.4 in only her second career race. The Siegels’ daughter of Real Artist was two lengths better than Modern Hanover, with Bramblerose in third.

“She was a late bloomer and had throat trouble,” said Travis Alexander, second trainer for Campbell. “We shut her down because we knew she had the talent. We just took our time.”

Winning driver Ray Paver, who worked out a second-over trip, said he was under instructions to duck from the gate.

“After that, they told me to do whatever I wanted,” Paver said. “When I popped the plugs coming around the last turn, she just exploded past them. She acted like she had a lot more.”

Palone’s victories with Jus’ Chilln Out and Ice Sculpture were carbon copies of each other. With Jus’ Chilln Out, a daughter of The Panderosa trained by Joe Holloway for Roll The Dice Stable, Palone broke on top, backed down the half in 59.2, then floored it to take a 1 3/4-length victory in 1:54.4. Ice Sculpture followed the same script—half in 59, win by 4 3/4 lengths in 155:4. Palone made no apologies for the pedestrian early fractions.

“When they’re much the best like that, fillies a lot of times get it their own way,” Palone said. “It’s early in the season, and my job is to win with them but take care of them, too. They’ve got a long season. As soft as I can get it—that’s what we’re going to do. Time only counts when you’re in jail, they say.”

Jus’ Chilln Out pushed her career bankroll past $160,000 with the victory over Keystone Artist in second and Spirit Of The West in third. Finishing behind Ice Sculpture, who is trained by Campbell for the Siegels, were Treasure The Moment and Movealittlecloser.

For Hrubys N’ Diamonds, the Adios Betty was a joyous reunion with driver Doug Snyder; the pair now has teamed for three PA sires stake wins at The Meadows.

“She felt really strong,” Snyder said of the daughter of Western Hanover. “She got out of the gate nice and sat in the hole just like you want them to. When I pulled and asked her to go, she just flew. It was a perfect way to start her stake season.”

C&I Siegel Racing Stable owns Hrubys N’ Diamonds, who won by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:54.3. Companera Hanover and Western Countess completed the top three.