Harness: True Blue Lindy begins title defense in Saturday's PA Sire Stakes

True Blue Lindy, last year's Pennsylvania champion, takes the first step in defending his title in Saturday's $139,156 Pennsylvania Sires Stake for sophomore colt and gelding pacers at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

The kickoff of the 2022 PASS season at The Meadows headlines an action-packed Kentucky Derby Day that also features wall-to-wall activities for fans including prizes and contests, food and beverage specials, live entertainment, paddock tours, starting gate and jog cart rides, and, of course, the simulcast of the Run for the Roses.

The live card begins at 11:30 AM.

True Blue Lindy (race 5, post 1, Tim Tetrick) banked more than $315,000 at 2 but closed his season on a down note, finishing a distant fourth in the Metro and 10th in the Breeders Crown final.

"There was nothing physically wrong," says trainer Jeff Cullipher who, along with partner Pollack Racing LLC, purchased the Always B Miki-Think Pink gelding midway through his freshman campaign, "but he had some mental issues.

"He came back a lot stronger, and he has a little bit more 'want to' than he had last year. He has a chance to take on the better ones. It's tough at this level, so he'll have to keep that good attitude."

Cullipher says he's expecting a strong outing from the champ as he launches his sophomore campaign.

"I feel a little bit more confident because Timmy had two other choices in the race, and he still went with mine," he says.

Another horse to watch is Fourever Boy (race 7, post 6, Mike Wilder), who was unheralded at 2 but sneaked up on fields in a number of rich races, finishing second in the Matron; third in the Metro, an International Stallion Series stake and the PASS final, and fourth in the Governor’s Cup. All that earned him more than $213,000 and the belief of his trainer, Tim Twaddle, that he'll convert those in-the-money finishes to wins this year.

"I'm usually pretty conservative, but last year I put him in everything," Twaddle says of the son of Sweet Lou-Macharoundtheclock. "He gave me that feeling he was that kind of horse. He went with them, but he didn't get on top of them.

"He made that leap this year. H really filled out and developed, and he has absolutely shocking speed that he never had last year. He'll get a lot of attention."

Fourever Boy's season began with a thud when he broke stride in the Paul Revere at Plainridge and finished ninth.

"I have no answers for that," Twaddle reports, "but he came out of the race fine and trained phenomenal this week. I look forward to what lies ahead."

Twaddle says he and partner Micki Rae Stables LLC were attracted to Fourever Boy at auction in part because of Twaddle's experience training his dam, who had an outstanding, consistent finishing kick.

"I loved that mare," he says. "I knew that someday, somewhere, she would take care of me. This is the one."

Saturday's live card also features a $60,000 PA Stallion Series event for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers.

-edited release (MSOA)