by Evan Pattak, for the Meadows

Washington, PA — Rebounding big time from an off-the-board performance, Rusty’s Bliss blew away the field by 9-1/4 lengths in a stakes record 1:53.1 in Friday’s (July 19) $140,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series event at The Meadows.

The stakes for 2-year-old filly pacers was contested over seven divisions, with Corona With Lime, Lucy’s Pearl, Shesaidhesaidisaid, South Beach Babe, McVita Bella and Southwind Jumanji taking the other $20,000 splits. Dave Palone enjoyed a stakes triple behind Corona With Lime, Lucy’s Pearl and Southwind Jumanji.

Chris Gooden photo

Rusty’s Bliss scored in a stakes record clocking of 1:53.1.

Rusty’s Bliss finished a back-pedaling fourth in a July 12 Pennsylvania Sires Stake division, but she was tons the best in her front-end score Friday for Brett Miller. Quotable Quotes edged Stucklikeglue for place. The time erased the stakes mark of 1:54.1 matched only one race earlier by Corona With Lime.

“They told me she was sick her last start, and they felt she would be better tonight,” Miller said. “She had pace left, so she could have gone more. As handy as she is, I think she’ll go even more out of a hole.”

Michael Hall trains the daughter of Four Starzzz Shark-Rusty’s Joy for Claim To Fame, Carter Racing Stable and Allen Kaplan.

Although her stakes record was short lived, Corona With Lime raced impressively in her first start for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The daughter of Allamerican Native-Polished Satin got every call and romped home, 9-3/4 lengths better than the pocket-sitting Weeper, who squandered her opportunity with multiple late breaks. Artista K completed the ticket.

“I like everything about her,” Palone said. “She was a little green on the lead, but every time I asked her, she wanted to go.”

Shesaidhesaidisaid did all her talking on the lead, narrowly holding off the late charge of Boots N Saddle, who fell a head short, in 1:55.2. Americangirlfriend earned show. Eric Ledford drove for trainer Roland Mallar, who owns the daughter of Well Said-Lucky Irma with Edward Bardowski.

“She’s small, but she has a great attitude. I think her size is why she brought only $13,000,” Mallar said. “We’ll keep her in the stallion series for now. We don’t want her to have to kill herself every week.”

Saturday’s power-packed card at The Meadows features two eliminations (races six and seven) for the Delvin Miller Adios as well as three stakes for PA breds with combined purses exceeding $550,000. In addition, The Meadows will offer a Pick-4 spanning races four-seven with a guaranteed pool of $7,500. First post is 6:55 p.m.