by Adam Packard, for the Meadows
Longshot winners were the order of the day at The Meadows through three of four $25,988 divisions of the Stenographer Pennsylvania Sire Stake Filly Trot for three-year-olds, contested Saturday.
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Chris Gooden photo
Driver/trainer Dean Zaimes captured the first split with Hawaiian Lei, a 16-1 upset special.
Longtime Meadows driver/trainer Dean Zaimes captured the first split with Hawaiian Lei, a 16-1 upset special. The filly earned the win by covering more than a mile in 1:59.4. The contested distance, as always, was one mile, but Hawaiian Lei took a longer route to the finish line, never seeing the inside. At the first quarter, reached in :28.3, she was parked on the outside in fourth position, causing unrest for Zaimes.
“I was definitely concerned. She’s never been parked past the quarter before,” he said. “I just tried to keep her confidence up and hope for the best.”
The SJ’s Photo filly was hung second at the half in :58.3, and was still trying to get by frontrunning Salida Hanover (Ray Paver) at the 3/4 mile marker, which was reached in 1:28.1. At the top of the stretch, Zaimes’ filly started to move to the lead, without urging. “I was just as surprised as anyone when she picked up the bit at the top of the stretch. She came back to life. That’s a much better feeling than what usually happens when you’re parked, when horses hand you the bit and their pedigree.”
Hawaiian Lei held off Sneaky Speed (Dick Stillings) and CR Calendar Girl (Troy Boring), both of which closed willingly in the stretch but never threatened for the win.
Zaimes owns Hawaiian Lei in partnership with Amphilaniklou, Inc.
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Chris Gooden photo
In the second division Sunseeker Kosmos capitalized on a perfect pocket trip and scored the win in 2:00.3 for driver Don Rothfuss at 8-1.
In the second division, another SJ’s Photo filly, Sunseeker Kosmos, capitalized on a perfect pocket trip and scored the win in 2:00.3 for driver Don Rothfuss.
The 8-1 longshot, trained by Steve Bush, Sunseeker Kosmos received a trip behind Hopes And Blesses (Doug Snyder), who cut fractions of :28.4, 1:00.4 and 1:30.4, en route to a 2:00.3 final time. Whisper Lane, driven by Mike Wilder, made a three-wide bid around the last turn and finished second, ahead of Hopes And Blesses.
Sunseeker Kosmos is owned by the Have A Dream Stable of Bridgeville, PA.
In division three, newcomer Equal, making just her second career start for trainer Doug Ackerman and driver D.R. Ackerman, shocked the betting public with a victory at 26-1 odds.
The daughter of Lindy Lane sat third through early fractions of :28.4 and 1:01, as Ealane Hanover (Billy Herman) led.
While most eyes were on 1-5 favorite Rosebud Sioux, who got away near the back of the pack, Ealane Hanover continued to lead the field by the 3/4 pole in 1:30. As Rosebud Sioux made a break, it became obvious that the horses near the front were in the prime positions, and Equal was the best of the bunch in the final quarter. She picked up her first career win in the time of 2:00.1, beating Trace Anthem (Wil Yoder) and Ealane Hanover in a blanket finish. In all, the top five finishers were within 1/4 length at the wire.
Equal is owned by the Doug Ackerman Stables.
The fourth division brought the lone favorite to the winners’ circle for the evening, as Traci Spur, the 2-5 top choice, posted the fastest time of the night, winning in 1:58.1.
Dick Stillings, driving the daughter of SJ’s Photo for trainer Charles Stillings, watched last year’s 2-year-old state champion filly Coulantine (Doug Snyder) cut the opening quarter in :29.3, then moved to the front and never looked back, posting fractions of :59.3 and 1:29.3, on her way to the win in 1:58.1.
Coulantine finished second, ahead of Keystone Call Girl (Todd Schadel).
“I thought we had the toughest division,” Stillings commented. “She was well, but it was a fairly easy trip. Once I had (Coulantine) behind me, I thought I was okay because I knew she hadn’t raced yet this year. I thought my mare raced really well.”
Stillings never had to ask Traci Spur for any trot.
“She’s a racehorse,” he said. “I chirped to her at the top of the stretch and she went on from there. She’s the kind of horse that gives you her all. If you’d tap her with the whip, she wouldn’t go any faster.”
Traci Spur is owned by Roy Davis of Pittsburgh.