Meadows 3-year-old PASS trotting colts take center stage
Washington, PA – Three divisions of the Hickory Smoke for 3-year-old trotting colts highlighted the Saturday afternoon (May 11) action at The Meadows.
The action started in the seventh race when longshot Ginger Tree Skyr (26-1) and driver Dan Rawlings, subbing for the injured Andy Miller, pulled off the upset in 1:55. Owned by Ginger Tree Ventures and Don Marean, the 3-year-old Explosive Matter colt collared front runner Demon Onthe Hill (Brian Sears) in mid-stretch to cruise to the victory.
The winner sat seventh through the quick :56.2 first half before picking up horses on the backstretch. The 2-5 favorite Capt Chaps Hanover (Dave Palone) was second with Explosive Magic (Brian Zendt) grabbing third. The winner, trained by Sam Beegle, was making his 2019 debut and increased his lifetime earnings to $121,553.
The second division went to the 2-5 favorite Osterc. The defending 2-year-old PASS champion, fresh off a victory last week in the Dexter Cup at Freehold Raceway, was an easy winner in 1:55.1. The Per Engblom trained, Yannick Gingras driven Cantab Hall colt is now two for two in 2019 and pushed his lifetime earnings over the $116,000 mark. Klutzy with Corey Callahan subbing for Andy Miller grabbed second with Fashion Possessed and Jim Pantaleano rounding out the trifecta.
The fastest of the three divisions occurred in the ninth race, the final division of The Hickory Smoke. Yannick Gingras returned to the winner’s circle with a wire-to-wire win behind Goes Down Smooth. The Muscle Hillgelding never had an anxious moment using the rail to his advantage while setting pedestrian fractions of :29 and :58.3 to the half before trotting the back half in :56 flat. Trained by Ron Burke, Goes Down Smooth is now four for five in 2019 and has a three-race win streak and is within $2,000 the $100,000 mark in lifetime earnings. Chiplosive and Trond Smedshammer followed the winner home with Papi Hanover (Rawlings) finishing third.
On the undercard were three divisions of The PA Stallion Series for three-year-old trotting colts. Brian Sears captured the first two divisions with heavy favorites Raceace and Lapped By Lindy. Kates Massive was the dominant winner in the third division winning by six lengths in the quickest of the three divisions, scoring in 1:55.3.
