COMMANDER FRANK, BIG BALLER BEANE WIN KEYSTONE CLASSIC SPLITS
By Evan Pattak For The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association
WASHINGTON, PA, Sept. 28, 2022 — Commander Frank finally began to live up to his connections’ lofty expectations, brushing wide through the lane to score in Wednesday’s Keystone Classic at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Big Baller Beane took the other split in the $75,300 stake for freshman colt and gelding trotters.
Rich Gillock, who trains Commander Frank for Tom Brice, Bart Brice, Charles Receski and Ed Receski, said his group began the season with high hopes for the homebred son of Southwind Frank-Lady Athens.
“If I ever had a good colt all along, I thought it was this one,” he said. “We prepped him for later stakes, and he really disappointed me from the word go. He never made any breaks until we started racing, then he did. Now we have some catching up to do.”
On Wednesday, Commander Frank displayed some of that talent as he followed the live cover of Open Bar, peeled off at the top of the stretch and triumphed for Mike Wilder in 1:57.3 over a “good” surface. Early leader Dwight Hanover saved place, 1-1/4 lengths back, with Open Bar third.
Gillock said Commander Frank likely would try Grand Circuit racing at the Red Mile before his connections consider the Breeders Crown and the Matron, as he’s eligible to both.
In his victory, Big Baller Beane showed that the moves you don’t make in a race sometimes can be decisive. That happened when Brady Brown considered retaking the lead with him at the three-eighths, then thought better of it.
“I thought about it,” Brown said. “Then my colt started stepping around a little bit, so I just tucked back in. My horse likes a target anyway. The track’s not the best today, so I hurried up and got back in the hole.”
The Father Patrick-Global Desire gelding enjoyed his pocket trip, roaring past Biscoe in mid-stretch to win in a career-best 1:58.1. Big Boy Ernest rallied for second, beaten 3/4 lengths, while Biscoe saved show. Steve Schoeffel conditions Big Baller Beane for Virginia Schoeffel, Kathy Schoeffel, James Reuther and Roger Romesser.
