Pressure Cooker steamrolls in $78,720 Keystone Classic

WASHINGTON, PA, Sept. 15, 2023  — Pressure Cooker (Heston Blue Chip-Better Be Steamin) cooked the field with a 27.3 final panel and drew off to score in Friday’s (Sep. 15) $78,720 Keystone Classic at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Chiapanecas (Stay Hungry-Maniana) shot the Lightning Lane to capture the other division in the harness racing event for freshman filly pacers, giving Dave Palone a stake sweep.

Pressure Cooker wasted no time taking the lead from post 3, but it was in that closing quarter that she showed her superiority. She left Canigetalouploup 3-1/4 lengths in her wake, with Monsoon third. The winning time was 1:52.4.

PRESSURE COOKER REPLAY

“You’ll remember her brother from the sires stakes — Fulton,‘” Palone said. “She reminds you a lot of him — good gaited, great attitude and a good set of lungs.”

Linda Toscano trains Pressure Cooker for Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Bottom Line Racing LLC.

Palone indicated he was thinking Lightning Lane with Chiapanecas, the 1-5 favorite, pretty much from the start.

“I really wanted to take care of this filly because I know she has bigger dances later in the season,” Palone said. “At the same time, you want to get the money. She was well within herself with the plugs in. It ended up being the best-case scenario.”

She executed the game plan perfectly, brushing past Lou Lou to down her by a length in a career-best 1:53. Early leader Ginger Tree Belle completed the ticket. Ron Burke trains the winner for breeder/owner William Donovan.

CHIAPANECAS REPLAY

$69,900 Keystone Classic — 2-Year-Old Filly Trotters

Loveyoubunches (Fordham Road-Lovebeinglucky) and Prospect Park (Father Patrick-Brooklyn Eagle) won the splits in Friday’s co-feature.

Loveyoubunches had to endure an unexpected change of plans when trainer/driver Todd Schadel tipped her off the cones for a quarter-pole move only to suddenly retreat to the pylons when Cahira Hanover and Aaron Merriman made that same quarter-pole move in front of them. Schadel indicated Loveyoubunches handled the course correction professionally.

“She lets you do whatever you gotta do — that’s the best part about this filly,” Schadel said. “I just put her back in there, and she was perfect. She has the Liberty Bell and the Simpson left this year.”

She had little trouble passing Cahira Hanover first over and defeating her by 2 lengths in 1:56.4, fastest win of her career. Skyline Seashell earned show. Loveyoubunches now has banked $122,211 for owners Schadel, Christine Schadel, Rick Beinhauer and Regina Beinhauer.

LOVEYOUBUNCHES REPLAY

In the other division, a dramatic stretch duel — Prospect Park inside, Norma Pearl challenging outside — fizzled when Norma Pearl made an unforced break, leaving Prospect Park to triumph in 1:58.4. Jakarta Hanover and Insider Trading rounded out the ticket.

Winning trainer/driver Charlie Norris thinks his filly would have prevailed even without the help.

“We got a really slow half, and I was just letting her coast,” Norris said. “She was well in hand — the plugs were still in.

Ron Noteboom campaigns Prospect Park, who will be pointed to Grand Circuit stakes at the Red Mile.

PROSPECT PARK REPLAY

Merriman and Palone each piloted four winners on the 13-race card.

Keystone Classics continue Saturday at The Meadows with a pair of events — an $80,500 stake for freshman colt and gelding trotters and an $82,700 stake for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers. On the wagering front, the 14-race program offers a pair of carryovers —$1,645.80 in the Early Pentafecta (race 4), $1,652.32 in the Pick 5 (race 10). First post is 12:45 PM.

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

by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association