Meadowlands: Silver Label powers away in Perfect Sting Mares Open Pace

Silver Label turned the tables on heavy favorite Grace Hill in capturing Saturday's $142,260 Perfect Sting for pacing mares at the Meadowlands at 14-1 for driver Scott Zeron.

Starting from the second tier Zeron tried to move behind Grace Hill (post four) at the start, but when that mare didn't leave strongly, he briefly settled the 4-year-old Bettor's Delight-sired mare along the pylons. Action was hot and heavy in early stages as Boudoir Hanover and Kobe's Gigi left inside and outside of Grace Hill and exchanged the early lead. Treacherous Dragon and Dexter Dunn marched to the front at the 26 2/5 opening quarter and then waited for Grace Hill and driver Doug McNair to take control three-eighths into the contest.

McNair was allowed to get his own fractions with Grace Hill as she hit the half in 54 3/5 with the only activity on the outside coming in the form of Mikala, Racine Bell and Test Of Faith lining up at the back and waiting for cover. Zeron was their ticket as he pulled Silver Label before the half and made a solid advance.

Zeron's tactics worked in conjunction with McNair rating the pace more kindly, hitting three-quarters in 1:23 2/5, theoretically leaving the outer tier powerless in the final quarter sprint. Silver Label never got that memo, though, as Zeron moved to even-terms with her and then went past quite easily as the previously-unbeaten-in-2023 Grace Hill had no response. It was a career-best 1:49 mile for the Ontario-based Silver Label, capping it off with a scintillating 25 3/5 final quarter.

Grace Hill managed to finish a distant second, with Test Of Faith coming from well-back to finish third in the mile.

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"I would have been happy to be second," said Zeron. "But on the last turn Dougie (McNair) was loose lining his mare and mine was up in the bit."

Owned and bred by Millar Farms, Silver Label is trained by Nick Gallucci.

"We paid her into all of the stakes for open mares," said Gallucci following the victory. "We'll be back for more."

Silver Label returned $31 to win.