by Evan Pattak, for the Meadows

Washington, PA — Passed at the three-quarters and in danger of falling back, Real Amor showed real spunk and rallied to capture the fastest division of Monday’s (August 23) $120,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series stake at The Meadows.

The event for freshman filly pacers was conducted over six divisions, with Highly Thought Of, Sara’s Dragon, NY Yankees, Nutmegs Cider and Quik Pulse Daisy taking the other splits. Brett Miller (Real Amor, Nutmegs Cider) and Mike Wilder (NY Yankees, Quik Pulse Daisy) enjoyed driving doubles in the stake.

Chris Gooden photo

Real Amor was a 1:55.1 winner for driver Brett Miller.

Real Amor made the lead with a quarter-pole move, but her lead appeared in jeopardy when My Drag Queen unleashed a powerful uncovered bid that put her a half-length in front at the three-quarters. Real Amor, equipped with blinkers for the first time, calmly dug in and scored in 1:55.1, matching her career best. My Drag Queen saved place, 1-1/4 lengths back, with early leader Blissfull Fluzy third.

Brad Provost, who trains the daughter of Real Artist-Sweet Amor for Bill Kreutzer and Neil Balcerak, said the blinkers made a difference.

“Last week she bounced off the gate and made a little break for Jim Morrill, Jr., who said blinkers might help her,” said Provost, who celebrated his first home-track stakes win as a trainer. “I think they did help because Brett said he drove her with two fingers today.”

Highly Thought Of needed a similar rally, as she relinquished her lead to the backside brush of Virgin Mary and fell two lengths behind. But she persevered under Dave Palone’s urging and triumphed in 1:55.2, a half-length better than Blissful Artist. Royal Opportunity completed the trifecta.

“I actually wanted someone around me,” Palone said. “My filly gets lost on the front end. I was content to have Virgin Mary get around me. I felt real good coming off the last turn because it looked like the leader was spent, and I knew I had the Lightning Lane to bail me out.”

Bob McIntosh trains Highly Thought Of, a daughter of Ponder-Highly Charged who has been first or second in five of her six lifetime starts, for Robert McIntosh Stables, Clifford Grundy and Dave Boyle.

Tony Hall pulled the pocket with Sara’s Dragon before the three-quarters, a move that paid off when the homebred daughter of Dragon Again-Dancing Emma held off the late charge of McTootsie to defeat that rival by a half-length in 1:56.1. Early leader Dragon Dance earned show money.

“She showed a couple moves today,” said Roland Mallar, who trains Sara’s Dragon for Anatolia Racing Stable. “I don’t know how much she had left at the end, but she’s matured into a nice filly. She had a few soundness issues over the winter, so we backed off with the stakes. But she’s grown up, filled out, so maybe next year she’ll be a little stronger and a little quicker.”

In the $22,500 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Trot, Tom’s OK Lady shot the Lightning Lane for Palone to win in 1:55.3 and vault over $600,000 in career earnings. Hawaiianphotograph was a nose back in second, with the first-over Rose Run Keepsake third. Ron Burke trains Tom’s OK Lady, a 7-year-old daughter of Inquirer-This Gal’s OK, for Burke Racing Stable, M1 Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Bethann Palone. It was one of five wins on the 15-race card for Palone.