The Meadows: Keystone Abbey extends win streak with Currier & Ives triumph

5-1 third choice Keystone Abbey won her fourth consecutive race, posting a career-best clocking of 1:56 3/5 in taking today's lone $70,000 Currier & Ives division for sophomore filly trotters at The Meadows.

With Aaron Merriman in the bike, Keystone Abbey showed early speed from post four and was on the lead at the 28 3/5 opening quarter. Public choice Fade Into You (Dave Palone) settled into the pocket from post two at that point, but Palone brought her to the outside in the second quarter, and she would take over well before the 58 3/5 half-mile marker.

Fade Into You continued to show the way to the 1:27 1/5 three-quarters and around the far turn, but then disaster struck coming off the bend as she made a break. Merriman navigated Keystone Abbey around the breaking leader tok regain the top spot, and she held sway from there, winning by a length and a quarter. Giant Possession (Wilbur Yoder) came on for second at 31-1, and Rush Lane (Brian Zendt) was up for third at 60-1.

“I don’t know how much trot David had when he ran, but I had a lot of trot left,” Merriman said. “The break probably was the worst thing for my horse. I had to jerk her sideways, and she almost took herself up — she has a little attention issue. I was nervous about it, but she was well in hand before that.”

Trainer Chris Beaver also co-owns Keystone Abbey, a daughter of Cantab Hall, with partners Donald Robinson, Martin Yoder, and R.B.H. Ventures Inc. This was her sixth career victory, and she has now earned $124,575. She returned $13.40 to win.

--quote courtesy of The Meadows--