Washington, PA — Parked the entire opening three-eighths from post seven, Mon Cheval called on the talent and determination of her royal ancestors and made the challenge look easy, capturing a division of Thursday’s (Aug. 26) $162,110 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for freshman trotting fillies at The Meadows. Dreamonhigh charged through the Lightning Lane to take the other split in the event, known as the Delmonica Hanover.

Both Mon Cheval and Dreamonhigh appear to have locked up slots in the championship. The Meadows will host all four $250,000 PASS finals for 2-year-olds on Sept. 3.

Mon Cheval overcame a wide journey en route to a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes preliminary victory on Thursday at The Meadows. Chris Gooden photo.

Mon Cheval’s sire (Father Patrick) and second dam (Solveig) are in the Harness Racing Hall of Fame while her dam, Shake It Cerry, was the 2014 Trotter Of The Year. Those regal bloodlines showed Thursday, when Mon Cheval overcame the challenging trip to score in 1:55.3 for Dexter Dunn, a length better than Perfect Helen, who now has finished second in all five career starts and also will advance to the PASS championship. Tie One On completed the ticket.

Nancy Takter, who conditions the homebred for Solveig’s Racing Partners, said she wasn’t terribly concerned with the demanding opening panel plus.

“She’s a tough filly,” Takter said. “We train our horses a lot like that, so they’re kind of used to it.”

Could it be that Mon Cheval is destined to join her ancestors in the Hall of Fame?

“She has a little bit more to prove on the racetrack, but she’s heading in the right direction,” Takter said.

Winning driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. piloted Dreamonhigh to a place finish in the July 29 Arden Downs at The Meadows, and he picked up some valuable information that he used in the Delmonica Hanover.

“She’s real funny about her mouth,” Wrenn said. “Last time I let her trot a pretty good clip and didn’t rate her that well, and I got beat on the end of it. Today I watched her out of the gate, and when I got her in the two hole, she was really relaxed. Down the stretch she was full of trot.”

Indeed, the daughter of Andover Hall and RC’s Dream was straight and swift as she poured through the Lightning Lane to down the rallying Baptist by a length in a career-best 1:55.2. Early leader Pink Gypsy earned show.

Jennifer Bongiorno trains Dreamonhigh for KAT Stables.

$60,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series — 2-Year-Old Filly Trot

Born On Third Base stretched her career unbeaten streak to five with a victory in Thursday’s sub-feature. Although the daughter of Donato Hanover-Housethatruthbuilt was looped from the gate by Money Matters, she had little trouble defeating that rival by two lengths, with Miss Principle third.

“I didn’t want to rush her into the first turn too hard. I knew she would have enough speed to keep moving forward,” said winning driver Dunn. “I think she has a lot of potential. All her wins have been pretty easy. She’s not paid into much this year, so she’ll get a good break and come back as a good 3-year-old.”

Chuck Sylvester trains Born On Third Base for owner and co-breeder Steve Jones.

Shestheluckyone and I’ll Have A Lindy also took divisions, both with Yannick Gingras aboard. In an oddity, all three winners were clocked in 1:56.2

Live racing at The Meadows continues Friday (Aug. 27), when the 13-race card features a pair of carryovers: $34,833.19 in the final-race Super Hi-5, $1,076.22 in the Pick-5 (races 8-12). On the racing front, the program offers a pair of events for freshman pacing colts and geldings, including a $159,745 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and a $40,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series event. First post is 12:45 p.m.