Fillies Flock For Feature Trots At The Meadows

The Meadows will host four divisions of the $149,852 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) for three-year-old filly trotters on Saturday, May 13, collecting 19 fillies preparing for the Hambletonian Oaks.

Division one kicks off the afternoon program, presenting six betting interests in a seven-horse field. Trainer Ake Svanstedt sends “Oaks” hopeful and probable favorite Sparkle Plenty, competing against hopefuls Dangle Than Deke, Crann Tara, and Onda Su along with three non-eligibles.

Onda Su, who exits Philadelphia with a win against higher-level conditioned company, will likely provide value for her outside post and tendency to gallop. However, her three-year-old temperament appears to be more composed than her finicky freshman attitude. Expect her to be getting involved late in the mile.

Sheez On A Cruz, Sianna Hanover, Caviart Wonder, and Treviso, who is the probable favorite, compete in division two. Treviso, a star during the Grand Circuit fortnight at The Red Mile, enters off a sharp qualifier in Florida but is definitely vulnerable shipping in and from an outside post.

Caviart Wonder would be the lone gal of the hopefuls that could carry luring odds. She has qualified well coming into this race, including behind winter-book favorite Ariana G, and has raced well over this track in the past, winning a division of the Keystone Classic in 2016. She would have to be 6-1 or more for her to be worth a shot.

Yet, Hot Mess Hanover has the potential to be a great price. Coming from the Weiss Series at Pocono Downs, she has consistently put herself into the race and fought to hit the board in all but the final, in which she was burdened with post 9 and forced to race from off the pace. The rail should aid her and, if still at top form, she should be able to compete with this bunch.

The third division attracts six Oaks hopefuls with Broadway Idole, Vodka N Lindy, Decadence, Temple Ruins, Cool Cates, and Princess Aurora all starting. Most likely, play should be centralized on Broadway Idole, off a sharp win at Philadelphia, and Princess Aurora, shipping in from Freehold off a win in a division of the Lady Suffolk. But both are beatable.

Cool Cates appears to have improved since her two-year-old year. Usually chasing horses or burning herself on the front, she makes her seasonal debut off a good off-the-pace qualifier, demonstrating a more mature animal possibly. Perhaps, too, it shows her preferred racing style to be from off the pace, which, from post 7, will be the position from which she’ll most likely race.

Finally, Ellerie Hanover, That’s All Moni, Donato Fashion, Fine Tuned Lady, and Future Secured gather for the closing division. That’s All Moni, one of Jimmy Takter’s top filly trotters from last season, has drawn well and qualified well heading into this race, most likely securing herself the public’s favoritism. Though, even with her great qualifiers, she has on occasion displayed her volatility when forced to race from first over, meaning, especially in her first start of the season, she may not be in the form necessary to win.

To her inside, Anette Lorentzon sends Ellerie Hanover, a promising filly making only the sixth start of her career, but her second of the season. After a two-year-old season plagued with breaks and poor performances, she broke her maiden at Philadelphia handily as the odds-on favorite, a performance which deviates greatly from her others previous. If a sign of improvement, she may be ready for the sires stakes bunch again, but keep in mind she is making a big step up in class, which should only enhance her price. 

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The racing of classic divisions—soph-colt-and-filly trotters—on their quest to the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks finals continues its exclusive, extended coverage from TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society. Recaps of races covered in this blog can be found at the archive section of the web’s home for the Hambletonian Society.