by Anne Doolin, for the Meadows

Meadow Lands, PA — Perfect World Enterprises’ Lady Annie just missed tying the divisional track record for 2-year-old pacing fillies when she captured her $22,061 division of the Fred Jamison Arden Downs on Friday night (August 10) at The Meadows. The pacing fillies, which went in four divisions, shared the spotlight with freshman trotting colts and sophomore trotting fillies on Adios Eve.

Lady Annie, a daughter of Allamerican Native trained by Steve Elliott, is now two-for-two in her young career. She came first up early to take control from Ty’s Artist, and cruised to a half-length victory over Real Nasty Miss in 1:54.2.

“I thought there would be more speed in there,” said driver Rod Bolon. “But I got there pretty easy and that made all the difference. She did all the work.”

Caviart Vegas and Mike Wilder had a tougher job of it in the first division, having to battle early with Kathy Kav, then Tally Again, then Riven Hanover before finally getting the lead late to win by 1-1/2 lengths. She scored in 1:57.

“I never thought I’d have to three-move her, but I’ve been having so much bad luck with this filly all year. The first start I got a perfect second-over with her. Since then, it’s been a disaster — first up, first up,” said Wilder. “Tonight, I got her in the right spot, but I thought I might have overused her early. She stepped right up to the plate for me.”

It was the third win in four starts for the daughter of Dragon Again, who is trained by Jim Arledge, Jr. for owners James Stambaugh and Caviart Farms.

Bon Mot led all the way until the stretch in the third division, then bore out as they straightened for home. Dave Palone, sitting on her back with Timeless Artist, shot up the inside and went on to win in 1:58.4. It was just the second start, and first win, for the daughter of Real Artist. She’s trained by George Teague, Jr., who along with sister Brenda, co-owns with Rodney Mitchell Inc.

“It was a little bit of a tough spot there off the turn,” said Palone. “I was pretty committed to the inside, but she got pretty green on me and tried to duck too. I got lucky to hold off Todd Schadel (and second-place finisher I Will, who lost by a neck).”

Pasta Lavista, a $140,000 yearling purchase at Harrisburg, had to dig deep to keep her perfect record intact in the last division, but she pulled it off with Randy Tharps aboard in 1:55.1. The win bumped her to a four-for-four slate for trainer Bruce Riegle and owner White Creek Stable Inc.

A daughter of Western Hanover, Pasta Lavista nabbed the lead early from Chester County, then had to fend off that rival as she closed up the inside in deep stretch.

“This filly is pretty nice on the front end, and I’ve tried her from off the pace,” said Tharps. “Tonight she was real relaxed, and when I called on her, she responded.”

“Everything’s coming together,” said Bruce Riegle. “She has a couple more sire stakes, then it’s on to Indiana and Lexington before going on to Canada.”