Three stakes wins, three sets of colors for Gingras

CHESTER, PA – Harness racing driver Yannick Gingras swept the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for two-year-old trotting fillies Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, winning with Pink Gypsy and Baptism, and added a Stallion Series division behind I’ll Have A Lindy. Total stakes purses on the card was more than $280,000.

While wearing three different sets of driving colors.

Gingras’ first appearance in Victory Lane was in his own familiar dark green-and-white colors, after guiding the 10-1 shot Pink Gypsy to her maiden victory in 1:55.3 in the second race $81,286 first division of the PASS.

The daughter of Father Patrick – Margarita Momma sat in the two-hole behind first round Sires winner Dreamonhigh, moved out in the stretch and went by by a length and a half, gaining into a :57.1 back half. Ron Burke conditions Pink Gypsy for Crawford Farms Racing.

PINK GYPSY REPLAY

While completing his Sire Stakes double, Gingras wore the white with diamonds colors of Diamond Creek Racing behind Baptism, a daughter of Southwind Frank – Fall From Grace, who also earned her first lifetime victory in 1:56.

Baptism, an Åke Svanstedt trainee, moved in front of the stands to gain the lead and came home in :57.2 to withstand A Perfect Helen by 2¼ lengths in the sixth race $80,866 PASS.

BAPTISM REPLAY

In between Sire Stakes contests, Yannick donned the blue and black of Lindy Farms, the Antonacci family entity that races I’ll Have A Lindy under the Greathorse stable name. I’ll Have A Lindy, a daughter of Cantab Hall – Martini Lady trained by Domenico Cecere, is three-for-three in her brief purse career, after using pocket rocket tactics for Gingras to win in a lifetime best 1:57, leaving first-round stakes winner Gumdrop Hanover two lengths behind.

Cantab Hall picked up a second Stallion Series siring credit with Young Michelle (dam Miss Michelle H), who took a maiden mark of 1:58.1 after serious closer Classic Kay made a break while getting closer and closer late. Corey Callahan drove the John Butenschoen trainee for Bay Pond Racing Stable.

The other three Stallion Series sections were all taken by daughters of Donato Hanover, with driver Dexter Dunn winning two of them in new marks of 1:56.4: with Dallas Bi (dam Octavia Bell), right to Philly off a win Sunday at Clearfield (PA) Fair and successful here for trainer/owner Mitchell York, and with Born On Third Base (dam Thehousethatruthbuilt), undefeated in three starts for trainer Chuck Sylvester and owner Steve Jones.

Completing the Donato Hanover triple was Design Fashion (dam Designable), taking a new speed badge of 1:57 and a winner of two straight for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim Campbell, and Fashion Farms LLC.

A tough field of eight is set for Sunday’s feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia, a $16,200 pace which finds Lyons Steel installed a 5-2 early favorite. Program pages for the 12:40 card will be available here.

For full race results, click here.

From the PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia