Passed by a rival entering the final turn, Skyline Seashell dug deep, reasserted in the lane and broke her maiden in Friday’s Arden Downs Grand Circuit stakes at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Insider Trading captured the other division in the event for freshman filly trotters known as the Edward M. Ryan.
The first-over Better In Aruba edged nearly a full length ahead of Skyline Seashell (pictured above) in the first $20,000 division but could not cross over. That’s when the daughter of Father Patrick-Fate Smiled responded to Mike Wilder and reclaimed the lead, notching her first win in five starts in 1:57.2. Mon Amie Martine rallied for second, a length back, while Better In Aruba saved show.
“I”ve kind of been flying under the radar with my filly,” said Wilder. “I’ve been real quiet with her, getting good last quarters, and I’ve been wanting to make that move with her that I made tonight, and she showed up.”
Dan Altmeyer trains the winner for Diamond Club Racing, Anthony Capone Jr., Mark Capone and David Wills.
Insider Trading followed live cover and rolled to a comfortable victory in a career-best 1:56.4 for Anthony MacDonald, trainer Tim Twaddle and owner TheStable Insider Trading Group. Cahira Hanover closed well for second, beaten 1-1/2 lengths, with Freedonia IT third.
“I have all the faith in the world in this filly,” MacDonald said of the daughter of Greenshoe-Topcat Hall. “She’s always been a little fragile, a little fractious, and tonight for the first time, I saw her put it all together for the whole race.”
In the Adios Eve co-feature, also an Arden Downs Grand Circuit stakes for two-year-old male trotters known as the Robert J. Key, Honor Guard, Activation and Memorymimagination took the splits, with the MacDonald-Twaddle team doubling up with Activation and Memorynimagination. Also worth noting is the work of the offspring of Father Patrick, who took four of the five stakes splits on the program.
Honor Guard appeared to be in a deep hole, a maiden two-year-old trailing by 5-1/2 lengths at the half. But he picked up live first-over cover and kept on advancing for Dave Palone, drawing off by an eye-popping 6-3/4 lengths in 1:58.3. Viktory Blue Chip and Five Second Rule completed the ticket.
“He has pedigree, so I figured somewhere along the line he’s either going to show it or not," said Palone. "I let him stretch out up the back side, which was a mistake. He got lost when he was off by himself. Next week, I might not let him move to the point so quick.”
Scott Cox conditions the daughter of Father Patrick-Honor Thy Daughter for Jason Ash LLC.
Activation led for most of a 1:58.2 mile after a contested opening panel, but MacDonald indicated it’s wise to stay busy on the Father Patrick-Repentance gelding.
“He never makes it easy on you, that’s for sure,” said MacDonald of the gelding owned by Thestable Activation Group. “He won’t run usually, but he makes you work for it every inch of the mile. He’s always in neutral, rarely up into fifth gear. He’ll come on when he’s challenged. He’s just a big goof out there, to be honest.”
Put Option was second, beaten 2-1/2 lengths, while Kill A Word earned show.
Memorynimagination survived an overland journey to break his maiden, winning in 1:57.2 by 3-1/2 lengths. The Father Patrick-Fellowship Of Two gelding is owned by Thestable Memrynimaginatn and Hutchison Harness. Bird And Grenade and Disgruntled Carl rounded out the top three finish order.
Elsewhere on Friday’s card, Jujubee, the 2021 U.S. Trotter of the Year, won the $21,200 Open Handicap Trot in 1:51.1, the fastest mile ever trotted at The Meadows. The son of Creatine-La Cantera eclipsed the all-age mark of 1:51.3 held jointly by Tall Cotton, Lifetime Pursuit and Jeffery P.
Hunter Myers guided Jujubee, who now boasts a career bankroll of $1,193,169, for trainer Greg Wright Jr. and owner Jon Erdner.
Tom “Mayhem” Svrcek and Whiskey Lindy were much the best in Friday’s $10,000 leg of the Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association (GLADA) Trot, seizing the early lead and facing no serious challenges.
Hammered down to 4-5, Svrcek hustled to the front from post seven, pocketing Tony “I’m In This to Win This” Dinges and The Funk. Devan “The Purple Princess” Miller and Taxi Out S were out before the half but could not cut into Svrcek’s margin.
“He warmed up really well and he left the gate really well,” said Svrcek. “Did I have to chase him? Not that horse. When he’s good, he runs off with me. He can go a :26 quarter.”
Svrcek scored in 1:56.2, three lengths better than Dinges. Joelene “The Jewel” Christman, driving Forever Jesse, and Miller. in rein to Taxi Out S, completed the ticket.
Bryce Brocklehurst trains Whiskey Lindy, a nine-year-old Cantab Hall-Rum Boogie gelding, for Svrcek and Janet Collins.
Saturday is Adios Day at The Meadows, featuring the $350,000 final of the 57th edition of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids. The blockbuster card also offers five other Grand Circuit stakes as well as a combined $170,000 in pool guarantees. The 16-race program kicks off at 11:45 a.m., with the Adios set for race 15.
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)