Washington, PA – The twilight card at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows on Friday (June 5) featured sophomore pacing fillies as the center of attention. Four $20,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series divisions served as the opening act for three $35,851 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (Adios Betty) divisions.
In the first PASS division, driver Andrew McCarthy waited until just before the quarter pole before moving Miss Jum Jabber, sporting a six-race win streak, to the lead in a :28.1 opening panel. The pace never slowed from there, with fractions of :56.2 at the half and a :26.3 backside sprint to the three-quarters in 1:23.
Miss Jum Jabber still needed a :27 final quarter to hold off a persistent Bahama Momma by three-quarters of a length on her way to a lifetime-best 1:50 victory. It was her seventh consecutive win. The mile by the daughter of Bettor’s Wish was the fastest of the three divisions. Miss Jum Jabber is trained by Brett Pelling and owned by Brett Pelling Racing LLC.
A compact field of five in the second division provided the closest PASS finish, as just a half-length separated the first four finishers. At the wire, it was Hope Hill and driver Mike Wilder using the Lightning Lane to win by a head in 1:51.1. Wilder put the Papi Rob Hanover filly in position in the first turn to follow favorite Bettor Be A Star. After a two-hole trip and a :27.2 closing kick, Hope Hill recorded a new lifetime mark and added an Adios Betty victory to her résumé. Hope Hill is owned by Tom Hill and trained by Virgil Morgan Jr.
The third division saw I’m A Lou Lou and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. go coast-to-coast to win in 1:50.1. Leaving from post 4, Wrenn sent the Sweet Lou filly through a tone-setting :27 opening quarter, with Makemblush Hanover tracking in second. I’m A Lou Lou used a :26.4 third quarter to try to seal the deal, but Wrenn still needed a :27.3 final panel to hold off the game Makemblush Hanover by three-quarters of a length. Ron Burke trains the filly for the owners Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Larry Karr, and Phil Collura.
The four Stallion Series divisions began with Sicerto, who came first-over from fourth during a :27.1 third quarter, to get past front-runner Carolina by a half-length for a lifetime-best 1:52 victory. Sicerto is owned by CTC Stable, KDP Stable, and Manklin Creek LLC. The daughter of Sweet Lou is trained by Noel Daley.
An easy second quarter and a :26.1 third-quarter sprint proved to be the right combination for Tall Dark Tequila’s Stallion Series victory in the second division. Dave Palone sent the Tall Dark Stranger filly to the lead before the quarter and she outlasted Make It Right for a career-best 1:51.4 effort. Hunter Oakes trains Tall Dark Tequila for owners Flying A Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey.
The combination of Ron Burke and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. captured divisions three and four, first with Joyful Hanover and then with Real Fast. Wrenn’s quarter-pole move with Joyful Hanover put the filly in position to use a :27.1 final quarter to hold off Gracious by a length. The 1:51.3 effort was a career mark for the Always B Miki filly owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, William Switala, and James Martin.
Sitting third until the three-quarter pole, Wrenn moved Real Fast and, aided by a :27.1 closing panel, the filly lived up to her name with a 1:52 Stallion Series victory. The Papi Rob Hanover filly was a 2-length winner for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services, and Slaughter Racing Stable.
For the evening, the Burke Stable took training honors with five victories, while driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. won seven of the card’s 11 races.
Hollywood Casino at The Meadows resumes racing Saturday (June 6), with a first-race post time of 12:45 p.m. (EDT).