50-year-old Currier & Ives stakes record surpassed

WASHINGTON, PA, June 7, 2024 — Allegiant (Tactical Landing-Too Good For You) blazed the back half in :55.2 en route to harness racing victory in a stakes-record 1:52.3 in Friday’s $52,355 Currier & Ives for 3-year-old filly trotters at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. The time is the fastest of any winner — regardless of gender — in the 50-year history of the prestigious Grand Circuit stake.

Allegiant took the field through the opening half in 57.1, but when the 4-5 favorite Pizzelle launched a challenge from third, Allegiant found another gear — with no urging from winning driver Hunter Myers.

“I gave her a few taps down the stretch just to keep her attention, but the whole mile was 100 percent her,” Myers said. “We finished with her ear plugs still in. She has tons of upward potential.”

The filly defeated the pocket-sitting Tactical Lori by 3 lengths, with Pizzelle third.

ALLEGIANT REPLAY

Allegiant, a Hambletonian Oaks eligible, is heavily staked this season, so her eye-popping performance was a relief to trainer Vernon Beachy after a slow start to her sophomore campaign which saw her lose three straight New Jersey Sire Stakes.

“She had bad luck in Jersey, and the competition was tough,” Beachy says of his $50,000 yearling acquisition. “Last trip she got locked in. Probably her next start is the Moni Maker at Scioto.”

Allegiant now has banked $343,392 for owner Ryan Smith.

Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. and trainer Ron Burke each enjoyed a four-bagger on the 13-race card, giving them nine and eight wins, respectively, over the last two programs.

Lauren Harmon and Mon Amour (Muscle Hill-Mind Mold) moved relentlessly first over and held on for the narrowest of victories in Friday’s $10,000 leg of the Great Lakes Amateur Drivers Association (GLADA) Trot.

Away fourth, Harmon confidently sent Mon Amour after the leader, Tom Svrcek (Keystone Apache) before the half and finally wore him down in the stretch.

“I knew I didn’t want to get locked in at any point,” Harmon said. “I had him out a little early, but I had the outer flow coming, so I wanted to make sure that I was out and moving.”

But then she had to deal with Jerry Kehm (Rattling Pine), who was charging through the Lightning Lane. Harmon edged Kehm by a nose in 1:56.2.  Steve Oldford (Holton) and Svrcek rounded out the ticket.

MON AMOUR REPLAY

Brandon Presto trains Mon Amour, a 6-year-old who now boasts a career bankroll of $379,144.

Saturday’s Belmont Day card at The Meadows begins at the special post time of 11:30 AM. The program features a $909.29 carryover in the Early Pentafecta (race 4).

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Evan Pattak, for the MSOA