The Meadows: Surprises aplenty in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Finals for two-year-olds

Four $253,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Finals for 2-year-olds took place on Saturday at The Meadows, and it was a day of upsets, with all four favorites going down to defeat.

De Los Cielos Deo (Yannick Gingras) was the 1-5 choice in the colt pace tilt, and he was looking to run his record to six wins from six starts. After settling third to the 27 1/5 opening quarter, Gingras fired De Los Cielos Deo to the front around early leader Proof (Scott Zeron) heading to the 55 4/5 half. De Los Cielos Deo would go on to reach three-quarters in 1:23 1/5 and brought the field into the lane, but Proof, who was a 16-1 shot, kicked through in the passing lane and got up to win by half a length in 1:51. Semi Tough (Matt Kakaley) finished third.

The victorious A Rocknroll Dance colt is trained by Brian Brown for owner/breeder Diamond Creek Farm. Proof has a record of 4-2-0 from six trips behind the gate, and he now shows a bankroll of $212,591. Proof is the second foal out of the Real Artist mare Ginger And Fred (1:50 1/5, $1,928,158), a full sister to Fred And Ginger (1:47 3/5, $1,053,740). Proof paid $34.20 to win.

“I didn’t expect to get that good a trip from post seven,” said Brown. “We were the only one who really left. It turned out perfect for us. That’s why Scott is driving. I wasn’t at all confident in the stretch. That’s an awfully good horse you’re trying to get around. My horse today was just better.”

Gingras was the one doing the upsetting the race before that when he guided Osterc to a 1:56 4/5 tally in the male trot final. A 4-1 offering, Osterc drove on from post nine to obtain the top spot from favored Prospect Hill (Andy Miller) going to the 58 3/5 half. Osterc got to the three-quarters in 1:27 1/5, then opened up a gap on the field on the final bend when Prospect Hill made a break. Demon Onthe Hill (Brian Sears) and White Tiger (Anthony MacDonald) chipped into the margin late on the turn, but neither one could catch Osterc in the lane as he held sway to win by a head over White Tiger. Demon Onthe Hill took third.

Jimmy Takter trains the victorious Cantab Hall colt for owners/breeders Christina Takter and Goran Falk. Osterc posted his fifth victory from six efforts, and he has banked$226,401. Osterc is out of the unraced Muscles Yankee mare Oh Oh Hereshecomes, a half-sister to the exported The Bank (Donato Hanover, 1:50 4/5, $1,110,300. Osterc returned $10.80 to win.

“I’ve felt him better than I did in the warm-up today. He got a little bumpy a few times, but his attitude is just phenomenal,” said Takter. “That’s why he keeps winning. These 2-year-olds — they keep on surprising me all the time.”

In the final for filly trotters, it was Windy Corner (Marcus Miller) surprising at odds of 12-1. She was third as Personal ParChris GoodenWindy Corner blew away her rivalsadise (Andy Miller) clicked off opening-half fractions of 27 1/5 and 56 4/5, then came with a brush that carried her to command before the 1:26 three-quarters. Magical Beliefs took a run at Windy Corner through the lane, but Marcus got his charge home on top, prevailing by a neck in 1:55 3/5. Fate Smiled (Kakaley) was up for third.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised, although the way the race set up definitely surprised me,” Marcus Miller said. “I always knew she had go, and she’s been getting better all the time. Early on, we were real conservative with her, teaching her the right way to race. I think it set her up to be able to make that move down the backside today and carry it. The last sixteenth or so was anxious, but she was very game.”

A daughter of Yankee Glide, Windy Corner is trained by Erv Miller for owners/breeders Tony Holmes and Walter Zent. This was her third win from nine starts, and she has now pocketed $176,389. Windy Corner is the second foal out of Wind Stroll (Muscle Mass, 1:55 4/5, $86,320), a half-sister to Guccio (Yankee Glide, 1:51 1/5, $1,021,809). Windy Corner paid $26.40 to win.

The final for pacing fillies saw Treacherous Reign (Andrew McCarthy) and Warrawee Ubeaut (Gingras) side-by-side at the 27 1/5 first quarter, with Warrawee Ubeaut taking charge past that point. Warrawee Ubeaut would go on to the half in 55 3/5 and the three-quarters in 1:23 2/5, but in the stretch she couldn't hold off the first-over advance of 12-1 shot Sylph Hanover (Kakaley), who forged her way by and then held sway to score by a neck in 1:51 4/5. Philly Hanover (Sears) rallied well on the far outside from a third-over journey to get second, with Warrawee Ubeaut back in third.

Sylph Hanover, a filly by Somebeachsomewhere, is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., William Switala, James Martin, and Joseph Critelli. She is now a three-time winner from seven tries, and she has earned $207,052. Sylph Hanover, who was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., was acquired for $75,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is out of the Artiscape mare She's A Fan (1:50 3/5, $322,663), making Sylph Hanover a half-sister to Shakai Hanover (Well Said, 1:52 4/5, $218,543). Sylph Hanover returned $29.40 to win.

“We changed her style a little bit to race from the back,” said Burke, who trains Sylph Hanover and Warrawee Beaut. “I think today that was the move because the front end’s not holding, so you’re racing against a variance on the lead. She came first in a long way two starts ago here and won, so she has it in her. The owners did a good job with her. They picked her out; we just bought into her.”

There were also four $50,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Consolations raced on the card, with wins going to Mass Fortune K (colt trot, 1:57 1/5, trainer/driver Charlie Norris), Art Lecture (filly pace, 1:52 3/5, driver Aaron Merriman/trainer Jake Leamon), Fade Into You (filly trot, 1:57 2/5, Gingras/Burke), and Captain Malicious (colt pace, 1:52 3/5, driver Tim Tetrick/trainer Ray Schnittker). Favorites also went zero-for-four in the Consolations.

--quotes courtesy of The Meadows--