Miki And Minnie headlines $300,000 PASS Finals

Hightstown, NJ – Miki And Minnie (Always B Miki), harness racing’s No. 1-ranked horse, will go for her seventh straight victory on Saturday (Sept. 6) one race before graded-stakes winners Louprint, Prince Hal Hanover and Twisted Destiny all meet for the first time as Hollywood Casino at The Meadows hosts the $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championships for 3-year-old pacers and trotters.

Three-year-old female pacer Miki And Minnie, a Chris Ryder-trained daughter of Always B Miki-That’s The Ticket, has captured 11 of 12 races dating back to her Breeders Crown triumph in October at The Meadowlands. Her only setback was a second-place finish a head behind Rodeo Drive Deo in a PASS division in June at Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Pocono Downs.

Her nine wins this season include the Fan Hanover Stakes and James M. Lynch Memorial, both Grade 1 events, as well as the Jerry Silverman Memorial and Shady Daisy, both Grade 3. She will start Saturday’s eight-horse PASS final for sophomore filly pacers from post one with regular driver Dexter Dunn and is the 8-5 morning-line favorite.

Miki And Minnie was bred by her owners – Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo and Lawrence Minowitz.

“My first horse was (2010 Dan Patch Award-winner) Put On A Show and people said to me that I should quit, that I was ahead. I’m glad I didn’t quit,” Henderson said with a laugh. “I can’t believe all that’s happened. It’s surreal. I don’t have words to describe it.

“We’re all happy, but I’m especially happy for my partners, Bob and Larry, because they’ve never owned a horse like this. I’ve had the luxury of having one, and I’m so happy for them in this whole thing. It makes it even more exciting that we bred her. I’ve only bred nine horses, so to have a horse like this makes it even more surreal.”

Miki And Minnie has hit the board in all 21 career races, with 15 wins, five seconds and a third. She has earned $1.39 million.

Last year, she won six of her final seven starts of the season and received the Dan Patch Award for best freshman filly pacer.

“She’s a grinder,” Henderson said. “Her gate speed is fine, but it’s not phenomenal like some other horses. But this horse will never quit. And I don’t think, to be honest with you, that she’s ever really been all-out yet.

“I’ve got my fingers crossed (for the rest of the season). I never dreamed I’d own a horse like this, ever, ever, ever. I’m just going to enjoy every minute of this ride. Chris and Dexter are so high on this horse, but she speaks for herself.”

Twisted Destiny, another Ryder trainee, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the PASS championship for 3-year-old male pacers. The colt, a son of Bettor’s Wish-Tug River Princess who counts the Grade 2 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes among his six wins this season, will leave from post one with driver Dunn.

Louprint, the winner of the Grade 1 North America Cup, is the 3-1 morning-line second choice for driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and trainer Ron Burke and will leave from post seven. The colt, a Dan Patch Award winner in 2024, is undefeated in six races this year. The son of Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer was sidelined because of surgery in July but returned with a 1:49.3 victory in a PASS division at The Meadows last week.

Prince Hal Hanover, a son of Captaintreacherous-Percy Bluechip, will start from post eight with Todd McCarthy in the sulky for trainer Ian Moore and is 4-1 on the morning line. Among his five triumphs this season are the Grade 1 Adios, at The Meadows on July 26, and the Grade 2 Carl Milstein Memorial.

Louprint is ranked No. 4 in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll while Prince Hal Hanover is No. 8.

In the final for 3-year-old female trotters, Hangover (Southwind Frank-Mezcal Morning) gets the 6-5 morning-line nod for driver Dave Palone and trainer Ake Svanstedt. She will start from post one.

Fashion Green (Greenshoe-Fashion Athena) is the 5-2 morning-line choice in the championship for sophomore male trotters despite leaving from post eight. He will try for his third consecutive win with Tim Tetrick driving for trainer Jim Campbell.

In addition to the championships, four $50,000 PASS consolations are on Saturday’s card.

Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, in conjunction with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program and the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association, is offering a special guaranteed wagering pool for Saturday. Races five through eight on the Saturday card will have a guaranteed $10,000 Pick-4 pool, comprising the four $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championships.

Racing begins at 12:45 p.m. (EDT) at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. For free past performances for Saturday’s races, click here.

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

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA