The Meadows: Blue Diamond Eyes matches track record

One $148,332 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event for 3-year-old filly pacers went behind the gate on Saturday afternoon at The Meadows, and Blue Diamond Eyes blitzed her competition in 1:49, tying the track record for the division.

Chase Lounge (Andrew McCarthy) was in the lead at the 26 1/5 opening quarter, but Blue Diamond Eyes (Yannick Gingras) was already on the move two-wide from the pocket, and she took over command past that marker. Blue Diamond Eyes kept the tempo high from there, reaching the half in 54 4/5 and the three-quarters in 1:21 3/5, but she couldn't shake off Chase Lounge, who came to the outside late on the far turn.

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Unfortunately for Chase Lounge, she ducked in badly while attempting to move up to challenge Blue Diamond Eyes, and that cost her all chance at winning, as Blue Diamond Eyes ended up pulling away to tally by four lengths. Milieu Hanover (Dexter Dunn) raced off-the-pace and got up for second at 39-1, and Chase Lounge ended up third after her issue. Chase Lounge did go inside one pylon while lugging in, but the judges determined she didn't gain an advantage while doing so, and so she was left up in third.

Blue Diamond Eyes is a daughter of Captaintreacherous trained by Ron Burke for owners Thomas and Scott Dillon. Blue Diamond Eyes won the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship, the Kentucky Sires Stakes Championship, and the Three Diamonds last year, but this was her first win in seven tries in 2021. Now with an overall record of 6-5-4 from 20 tries and a bankroll of $688,292, Blue Diamond Eyes paid $4.20 to win as the even-money favorite.