Fashion Winner fastest in PA Stallion Series

WASHINGTON, PA, July 13, 2016 — Fashion Winner launched his career in fine fashion Wednesday at The Meadows when he rolled to a front-end victory in a stake-fastest 1:58.1 in a $120,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series event.

The stake was contested over six divisions, with Common Parlance, Limerence, Almirola Hanover, Simply Volo and Wiagram Hanover also taking splits. Dave Palone enjoyed a pair of stake wins (Fashion Winner, Common Parlance), as did trainer John Butenschoen (Simply Volo, Wiagram Hanover).

Fashion Winner prepped for his career debut with a pair of winning qualifiers at Harrah's Philadelphia. His pari-mutuel bow was no more taxing, as he vaulted to the lead for Palone and never faced a serious challenge. Di Oggi rallied for second, 1-3/4 lengths back, while Michigan Hanover earned show.

"He's a really, really nice horse," said Bennie Magliochetti, who owns and trains the Broadway Hall-Fun And Strokes gelding. "When Anthony Morgan qualified him, he told us how good the horse was. He won well within himself. His leg is a little crooked in front, but he's so nice. He only wears back boots — that's it. No head poles, no nothin'."

Common Parlance briefly was three wide while quarter-poling to the front, but that wasn't even a speed bump en route to his blowout victory in 1:59. Invested In Lindy was 9-3/4 lengths behind in second, with Always a Ladys Man third.

"He has a great head on him, an extremely nice mouth," said Joseph Skowyra, who conditions the son of Crazed-Angevine for Wade Wyatt. "He's a gentleman through and through. We wanted to gauge his performance today, then make a decision about where he'll race next. We'd like to keep him in the stallion series, but it's a little enticing to go to the next step."

Limerence looked so strong in his 6-1/2-length triumph in 1:59.4 that trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt already was talking about promoting him to tougher competition.

"He has a good head — that's important," he said. "He'll go to the Kindergarten and then the sires stakes."

Brand New Key and Keep Truckin On completed the ticket. Svanstedt owns the son of Yankee Glide-Pleasing Lady with Christer Lovgren, Mal Burroughs, Janet Burroughs and Torbjorn Swahn.

In the $22,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot, Classicality pounced on the tiring leaders and pulled off a 19-1 upset for Brian Zendt and owner/trainer Lisa Dunn in 1:53.1. Tall Cotton was second, 3-1/4 lengths in arrears, with See The Wind third. The 6-year-old Classic Photo-Penn Worthy Lane gelding now boasts $319,132 in career earnings.

Live racing at The Meadows resumes Friday, when the card features the Hickory Pride, a $192,004 PA Sires Stake for freshman colt and gelding trotters. First post is 5 PM.

by Evan Pattak, for the Meadows