The Meadows: De Los Cielos Deo sweeps PASS preliminary legs

While horses usually don’t bet, in Tuesday’s $188,111 Pennsylvania Sires Stake at The Meadows, De Los Cielos Deo hit a rare trifecta: he extended his career unbeaten streak to five; he completed a sweep of the four PASS preliminary legs; he vaulted over $100,000 in earnings.

The event for freshman colt and gelding pacers, known as the Tyler B, was contested over three divisions, with Crimson And Chrome and Captain Victorious taking the other splits.

De Los Cielos Deo quarter-moved to the front for Yannick Gingras and cruised home in 1:52, 1-1/2 lengths better than the first-over Proof. Ehrmantraut earned show. The victory continued the PASS domination of De Los Cielos Deo, who captured his four wins by a combined 9 lengths.

Ron Burke, who trains the son of Captaintreacherous-Lisjune — a $140,000 yearling purchase for Burke Racing Stable, Larry Karr, J&T Silva-Purnel& Libby and Weaver Bruscemi LLC — said he would train the colt up to the $252,000 PASS championship (Sept. 1 at The Meadows) rather than seek a prep race.

“I don’t worry about getting starts for these kinds of colts,” Burke said. “I’d rather save starts than get starts. Bad horses need races. Good horses will train themselves up. It took me forever to learn that.

“He has top-range potential. For as long as we’ve been training him down, I’ve said this is easily the best colt we’ve had since Sweet Lou. Before the year’s over, I think he’ll do something special.”

Victorious in his only previous PASS start, Crimson And Chrome made it two straight by erasing a 3-length deficit in the lane for Tim Tetrick and downing Semi Tough by 1/2 length in 1:51 3/5. Air Force Hanover completed the ticket.

“He kind of struggled early,” said winning trainer Jim King, Jr. “He had lots of determination, lots of good things to like about him, but it didn’t come that easy to him. So we just took our time with him. We were mostly concerned with making him a good 3-year-old. We’re underway for that; it’s a good start.”

Tim Tetrick LLC owns the Sweet Lou-McSauna gelding, who’s eligible for the Liberty Bell, the Simpson and the Keystone Classic at The Meadows.

Captain Victorious found himself in an unfamiliar first-over chase but made the most of it for David Miller, holding off Sugar Factory by a neck in a stake-fastest 1:51 2/5. Cruise Captain was third.

“It wasn’t the trip I wanted to give him,” Miller said. “He got a little rough when the gate folded, and that cost him getting away. He went a big trip first over. He was pretty game.”

Julie Miller conditions the son of Captaintreacherous-Belclare for Andy Miller Stable, Jean Goehlen and Caroll Huffman.

In the $20,000 Preferred Handicap Trot, Call For Justice shot the Lightning Lane and made it two straight with a 1:53 4/5 score for Dave Palone, Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. The 6-year-old son of Justice Hall-Mika’s Mazurka now boasts $526,067 in career earnings.

Stake racing at The Meadows continues Wednesday, when the card features an $80,000 PA Stallion Series stake for 2-year-old filly pacers. First post is 1:05 PM.

-edited release (Evan Pattak for The Meadows)