Harrah's Philadelphia: Sister Sledge stars as Gingras, Burke dominate in PA Sire Stakes

The undefeated Father Patrick filly Sister Sledge headed three win days for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for 2-year-old filly trotters on Friday at Harrah's Philadelphia.

Sister Sledge and Gingras raced in the fifth and final flight, which went for a purse of $37,261. She cleared Habanero K (Ake Svanstedt) for the front passing the 28 second opening quarter, backed down the half to 58 seconds, picked up the tempo to the 1:26 4/5 three-quarters while rebuffing the first-over bid of Hannah (Andy Miller), and went on to win by a length in 1:55 1/5 with Gingras not asking her. Sherry Lyns Lady (Tim Tetrick) closed in well for second, with Habanero K third.

A daughter of Father Patrick, Sister Sledge was a $35,000 yearling buy at the Standardbred Horse Sale for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Jason Melillo, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Bred by Sergent Stables LLC. and Andray Farm, she has earned $52,840 to go with her unblemished record. Sister Sledge's dam Behindclosedoors is a daughter of Andover Hall who earned $589,226 during her racing career to go with a mark of 1:53 2/5. Sister Sledge was the 1-9 favorite and paid $2.20 to win.

Burke and Gingras also took the third $38,021 grouping together with the pari-mutuel debuting Crucial in 1:56 2/5. Crucial made front from post seven, clicked off fractions of 28 2/5, 58 4/5, and 1:27 1/5, and just held safe over a closing Word Of Honor (A. Miller) to tally by a nose. Dip Me Hanover (Dexter Dunn) collected third.

Crucial, another filly by Father Patrick, had won both of her qualifiers at the Meadowlands before today's race. She was bred by Steve Stewart, Maumee River Stables, Black Creek Farm, and Martin Schmucker and cost owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., W.J. Donovan, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. $200,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. She's the first foal out of Jolene Jolene (Muscle Hill, 1:52 1/5, $231,673). She was the 6-5 choice and returned $4.40 to win.

Burke's other win came in the next $38,021 section with Sans Defaut (Matt Kakaley) in 1:57. Starting from post eight, she was able to tuck into fourth going to the 28 1/5 opening quarter, but was first-over through middle-half fractions of 58 1/5 and 1:26 4/5. Despite the wide journey, she forged her way by leader Becky Lindy (Gingras) in the stretch and got to the wire three-parts of a length to the good over a closing Bayou (David Miller). Becky Lindy wound up third.

The victorious Muscle Hill-Flawless Lindy filly was bred by Crawford Farms LLC, who now share ownership of her with Burke Racing Stable LLC., J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Sans Defaut now has a record of 2-0-1 from three attempts, and she has banked $38,572. Sans Defaut is a full sister to Southwind Frank (1:52 1/5, $1,950,887) and paid $9.20 to win today as the 7-2 third choice.

Gingras's remaining trip to the winner's circle came back in the second $38,021 test when Queen Of The Hill was a 1:57 1/5 winner. She overcame post eight easily, going to the lead prior to the 28 2/5 opening quarter, and after a 59 second half and a 1:28 1/5 three-quarters, she closed in 29 seconds to win by 4 1/2 lengths over Knockdown Dragout (Anthony MacDonald). Keystone Bullseye (Victor Kirby) collected third.

Per Engblom trains Queen Of The Hill, a daughter of Explosive Matter, for owner Al Libfeld. Queen Of The Hill, who was bred by Paymaq Racing, Louis Willinger, and James Bafia, and was hammered down for $110,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, is now undefeated in two attempts after she also took her division of the opening PaSS leg at The Meadows back on July 2. She is the second foal out of Flyer Mel, an unraced Muscle Hill mare who is a full sister to Southwind Hope (1:54 1/5, $219,573). Queen Of The Hill was the 5-2 third choice and returned $7.60 to win.

The only horse able to break the Gingras and/or Burke stranglehold in the sire stakes was 31-1 shot Sorella (Christian Lind), who won the $38,021 opener in 1:58. Sorella sat on the cones in third and fourth as Harness AM (MacDonald) cut panels of 28 1/5, 1:00, and 1:28 3/5, then swung out three-wide in the lane and got up to score by two lengths over Burke trainee Aperfectcrystal (Kakaley). Harness AM faded to third.

Sorella, a Muscle Hill filly, is trained by Staffan Lind for breeder/co-owner Elmer Fannin and co-owner Crawford Farms Racing. Sorella broke in her pari-mutuel debut on July 9, but minded her manners today to break her maiden. She is the fourth foal out of the Kadabra mare Kadealia (1:55 1/5, $570,375), who won the Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Trot in 2008 at 75-1 just two weeks after she had taken the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final at 61-1. Sorella paid $64.40 to win.