Unbeaten Papi Grad goes for 6th straight

WASHINGTON, PA, Aug. 22, 2024 — When it comes to Pennsylvania’s class of 2-year-old filly harness racing pacers, there’s no doubt that the valedictorian is Papi Grad (Papi Rob Hanover–Betterthangraduate). In Friday’s $178,632 final Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) preliminary leg at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, Papi Grad will attempt to stretch her career unbeaten streak to six and complete her sweep of the PASS preliminaries.

The card also features an $80,000 PA Stallion Series event for freshman filly pacers. First post is 5:10 PM.

Breeder Midland Acres bought back Papi Grad at the Lexington yearling auction and formed her ownership group, which includes Brent Hopper, Jay Mossbarger, TKO Racing Stable LLC and SCPStable & Friedland Racing. They sent her to the stable of Steve Carter, where she trained down well enough.

In her final qualifier at Scioto Downs, though, she made Carter’s jaw drop.

“After that last qualifier, I realized she’s a freak,” Carter says of the filly. “I am surprised that she’s won in 1:51 and change a couple times, but we’ve never really asked her to go that much. She’s a very willing horse, and her gait is powerful. Once she gets going, she drives off her back end.”

Indeed, her performance in the PASS series has been little short of freakish — three victories by a combined 18-1/2 lengths, all contributing to a bankroll of $131,774. No matter the outcome Friday, she’ll likely be favored in the $252,000 (est) PASS final Sept. 5 at The Meadows.

Carter indicates he expects her to race in Red Mile stakes this year, and that she’ll have a fuller engagement schedule at 3. She goes in race 8, post 7, with regular driver Brett Miller aboard. Carter says he isn’t looking for any particular trip.

“She’s plenty fast enough that no one is likely to park her, and she has the tactical speed that gets her into the race from anywhere. She drives like a car — push button.”

by Evan Pattak, for the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association