The Meadows: PA Sire Stakes frosh finals take the Friday spotlight

Friday's Pennsylvania Sires Stake championships for 2-year-olds at The Meadows not only features some of harness racing's finest freshmen, but they also anchor a rich card offering more than $1.26 million in purses.

Each of the four championships goes for $253,000, and each division also sports a $50,000 consolation. First post for the 13-race program is 12:45 PM.

Here are some of the most intriguing horses and angles in each of the championships:

Colt & Gelding Pace (Race 11)

All else being equal, one might look no further than I Did It Myway in the glamor division. He swept all three PASS legs that he contested and added victories in the Kentucky Championship Series and the Tompkins-Geers to launch his career with five straight victories for trainer Tony Alagna and owners Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco, Don Latore and Alagna and Fodera Racing.

In Harness Racing, all else isn't equal, as the son of Captaintreacherous-Flyme To The Moon and regular driver Todd McCarthy must leave from post 9. Who might benefit? Pay attention to True Blue Lindy, a star in Canada who made a terrific US debut in last week's PASS leg at The Meadows when he triumphed in 1:51 3/5 for trainer Jeff Cullipher, who owns the Always B Miki-Think Pink gelding with Pollack Racing LLC.

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Filly Trot (Race 8)

Speaking of perfect, consider A Perfect Helen, who's been perfect -- sort of -- with five place finishes in as many starts. But the $60,000 yearling acquisition, a daughter of Father Patrick-Asixpakfromperfect, has banked more than $83,000, so she'll get no complaints from driver/trainer Jeff Gregory, who's realistic about her chances Friday.

"Pennsylvania is a tough state; a lot of the better horses in the country come out of Pennsylvania," Gregory said. "I don't think anything is going terribly wrong. It's not like we're losing by a nose. She's getting beat by better horses. She'd need to have a couple of the better ones beat each other up so she can pick up the pieces. But she likes what she's doing, and she's trying all the time."

Gregory, who'll pilot the filly from the rail, owns her with Martin Garey, George Romanoff and William Richardson.

Mon Cheval is one of the horses that has defeated A Perfect Helen on multiple occasions and the daughter of Father Patrick has been installed as the 3-2 morning-line favorite for the team of Nancy Takter and driver Dexter Dunn from post 3. The other two-leg Sire Stakes winner in the field is Dreamonhigh for the brother-sister team of driver Joe and trainer Jenn Bongiorno. That filly, by Andover Hall, will start from post 2.

Colt & Gelding Trot (Race 10)

This one's a wide-open affair matching regally bred, talented youngsters. Both S I P (post 4, Yannick Gingras) and Global Pandemic (post 9, Joe Bongiorno) -- each from the stable of Run Burke -- captured their last two PASS splits.

S I P, a Bar Hopping colt, took a detour on the PA Turnpike and raced his last four starts in the Haughton at The Meadowlands and Kentucky Sire Stakes. Global Pandemic also made a trip to the Haughton but has stayed local and won his previous two races in the Keystone State.

Another Bar Hopping colt, Keg Stand is actually the morning-line favorite at 2-1 from post 5. Also from the powerful team of Dunn/Takter, the 2-year-old has won Sire Stakes legs on Pennsylvania and Kentucky this year.

Filly Pace (Race 9)

There is no doubt about the favorite in the 2-year-old Filly Pace. That would be Captain Cowgirl (Captaintreacherous-Rideintothesunset), who is only a length from being undefeated in her five career outings. She won the Aug. 20 PASS leg at The Meadows in a sparkling 1:51.

Tim Tetrick, who owns her with Jo Ann Looney-King and Kenneth Frieder, will steer Captain Cowgirl from post 4. She's coupled in the wagering with Im No April Fool, another Jim King, Jr. trainee.

If a horse is to challenge Captain Cowgirl it could be the speedy Hit Me Up. The Always B Miki-sired filly has been first or second in all six career starts and only lost to the favorite by a nose in their last meeting. Joe Bongiono drives from post 5 for trainer Jenn Bongiorno.

-edited release (Evan Pattak for MSOA)