Race Preview: The Meadows - PA Sire Stakes 2 YO Filly Pace 7th of 7 Divisions - Friday July 19th
Race 9 at the Meadows on Friday night should be a very competitive contest. The Meadows' top driver, Dave Palone, with 28% for wins in paces will be piloting one of three Dragon Again fillies, Stucklikeglue. Surprisingly, she's not the morning line favorite, probably because of some less than stellar lines for her last 3 races.
In her defense, those races were at a higher class level than today's and two of them were at other tracks. She's a bit of a puzzle. She has early speed, yet can also close as she did when she won by 16 lengths in a qualifier with Palone back in June. There's no doubt that Ron Burke will have her in top form and she may post a higher class and speed rating than she has in the past.
The second Dragon Again filly, Sunlight Dancer, looks like she may need more seasoning, although her class ratings have been rising steadily. She has the capable Aaron Merriman in the bike, but the trainer's record with 2 year olds is zero for fifteen, which doesn't inspire confidence.
The third Dragon Again filly, TSM Maija Star, won a race at the fair in Gratz, with a very slow time on a track rated as "good". Her trainer, Robert Krensky, has wins with 1 out of 3 of the 2 year olds he sends out. The thorough handicapper has to wonder if the fair circuit race is part of his winning method. One also wonders whether this filly will show more than she has when called on to do so in this race.
Rusty's Bliss, the morning line favorite, has a trainer with a healthy 30% for wins when moving his horses down in class and a solid 16% for wins with 2 year olds. With a win and a second out of 3 races, this filly looks ready to score.
Official Walk is way out in the 8 post, not a great position for a pace. She's also a first time starter for a trainer who has 17% for wins and 3 out of 6 in the money for 1st timers. He has 29% for wins for 2 year olds. While I don't expect this filly to ace her first official race, I'd keep an eye on her in future, given a better post position.
Autumn's New Breeze out of Nuclear Breeze and a Panderosa mare got a hard fought 3rd at Harrah's in a race rated at a higher class than this one. While the 1 post isn't that advantageous at The Meadows, she's a closer and might be able to find a position later in the race, where she can get clear and make up ground in the stretch. Her sire has produced many fillies and colts with sub-155 times and is a leading sire of 2 year olds.
Quotable Quotes, trained by Ben Stafford and driven by Ben Stafford Jr, may just be the sleeper in this race at 10-1. Although she broke in her last race, which usually makes me pass until a horse has a good race afterward, I'm willing to disallow it, because she was in the 6 post and moving up a little in class. Today, in a better post position, I think she might keep her cool and run back to the race before that where she was less than two lengths behind the winner at the wire. Stafford and Stafford Jr are in the money 60% of the time with 2 year olds.
Maevy Bean is a McArdle-Artiscape filly with a pretty good time and first quarter in her last race. She appears to be improving, but may be outclassed here and may need more experience before she's ready to win a real race. She has a second and a third in Baby Races and a 3rd in a qualifier at Pocono.
There are 6 other PA Sire Stakes races on tonight's program. As always, safe trips to all the drivers and horses on the card and don't forget to watch and wager on these races on Bet America.
In her defense, those races were at a higher class level than today's and two of them were at other tracks. She's a bit of a puzzle. She has early speed, yet can also close as she did when she won by 16 lengths in a qualifier with Palone back in June. There's no doubt that Ron Burke will have her in top form and she may post a higher class and speed rating than she has in the past.
The second Dragon Again filly, Sunlight Dancer, looks like she may need more seasoning, although her class ratings have been rising steadily. She has the capable Aaron Merriman in the bike, but the trainer's record with 2 year olds is zero for fifteen, which doesn't inspire confidence.
The third Dragon Again filly, TSM Maija Star, won a race at the fair in Gratz, with a very slow time on a track rated as "good". Her trainer, Robert Krensky, has wins with 1 out of 3 of the 2 year olds he sends out. The thorough handicapper has to wonder if the fair circuit race is part of his winning method. One also wonders whether this filly will show more than she has when called on to do so in this race.
Rusty's Bliss, the morning line favorite, has a trainer with a healthy 30% for wins when moving his horses down in class and a solid 16% for wins with 2 year olds. With a win and a second out of 3 races, this filly looks ready to score.
Official Walk is way out in the 8 post, not a great position for a pace. She's also a first time starter for a trainer who has 17% for wins and 3 out of 6 in the money for 1st timers. He has 29% for wins for 2 year olds. While I don't expect this filly to ace her first official race, I'd keep an eye on her in future, given a better post position.
Autumn's New Breeze out of Nuclear Breeze and a Panderosa mare got a hard fought 3rd at Harrah's in a race rated at a higher class than this one. While the 1 post isn't that advantageous at The Meadows, she's a closer and might be able to find a position later in the race, where she can get clear and make up ground in the stretch. Her sire has produced many fillies and colts with sub-155 times and is a leading sire of 2 year olds.
Quotable Quotes, trained by Ben Stafford and driven by Ben Stafford Jr, may just be the sleeper in this race at 10-1. Although she broke in her last race, which usually makes me pass until a horse has a good race afterward, I'm willing to disallow it, because she was in the 6 post and moving up a little in class. Today, in a better post position, I think she might keep her cool and run back to the race before that where she was less than two lengths behind the winner at the wire. Stafford and Stafford Jr are in the money 60% of the time with 2 year olds.
Maevy Bean is a McArdle-Artiscape filly with a pretty good time and first quarter in her last race. She appears to be improving, but may be outclassed here and may need more experience before she's ready to win a real race. She has a second and a third in Baby Races and a 3rd in a qualifier at Pocono.
There are 6 other PA Sire Stakes races on tonight's program. As always, safe trips to all the drivers and horses on the card and don't forget to watch and wager on these races on Bet America.