The Meadows: Stakes winners to race on Friday card
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Some of the top 3-year-old pacers in the nation will square off at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows on Friday evening (August 28) in the final leg of Pennsylvania Sire Stake action. The fields will include Grade 1 Adios winner Al Papi and Grade 1 Lynch winner Sangria Summer.
The first major stake will be Race #5 on the card, the lone division of the Romola Hanover PA Sire Stake for 3YO pacing fillies. Sangria Hanover (Captaintreacherous) has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite for trainer Luc Blais and driver Matt Kakaley. Hope Hill, trained by Virgil Morgan and driven by Dave Palone, ships from Ohio after a couple of starts in Kentucky and is the second choice at 5-2.
Races 7 and 8 on the program will be two splits of the Tarport Effrat PA Sire Stake for 3YO colt and gelding pacers, and will bring together several heavy hitters in the sophomore ranks this season. Each division carries a purse of $54,601.
In the first group, Millstein winner Melillo is the 2-1 morning line choice for trainer Ron Burke and driven Ronnie Wrenn. Melillo was second in the Grade 1 Adios Pace in his last local appearance. Toast Of The Town, the Noel Daley trainee fresh off a win in the Hempt Consolation last weekend at Pocono in 1:48 4/5, is the second choice. Dave Palone will drive. Sneaky Squeaky, who has been racing at Lexington in recent weeks, returns to Pennsylvania for trainer Joe Bongiorno and driver Tim Tetrick this week, and is the third choice.
The second split is led by Al Papi, the Burke trainee whose last Meadows appearance was in the Adios winner’s circle on July 25. He is listed at 8-5 on the morning line for driver Wrenn. Another son of Papi Rob Hanover, Papi Rick, is the second choice for Daley and driver Justin Irvine, while Thai Hanover, a 44-1 longshot winner in a Hempt Consolation last week, is the third choice. Jeremy Indof will drive the local product for trainer Mitchell York.
This is the final chance for PA Sire Stake sophomores to earn points toward next week’s Championships.
Post time for the Friday card is 5:10pm, and will also include four Pennsylvania Stallion Series stake divisions, two each for 3YO colt and filly pacers.
-edited release (The Meadows)