Sweet Amira, Southwind Icenfire capture PASS victories

WASHINGTON, PA, Aug.  12, 2023  — Sweet Amira (Sweet Lou-Bolt Of Thunder) refused to relinquish the early lead, endured the ensuing 26.1 opening panel and still had enough to score in Saturday’s (Aug. 12) $144,064 Pennsylvania Sires Stake at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Southwind Icenfire captured the other harness racing division in the event, known as the Romola Hanover, for sophomore filly pacers.

Sweet Amira had something in common with top Canadian driver Louis Roy, trainer Chantal Mitchell and owners Lindsey Rankin and Connie Rankin — none had ever raced before at The Meadows. They may return regularly after the 1:50.3 victory, but that win didn’t come easily.

Roy had a chance to release C Is For Cookie and chase from the pocket, but that wasn’t where he preferred to be.

“She’s had bad trips more often than anybody else this year, especially in the Fan Hanover elimination,” Roy said. “So I think she’s a little better than what she shows. I wanted to give her a good shot, and leaving the gate, it felt like the best way to do that was to control the race.”

SWEET AMIRA REPLAY

Sweet Amira held off the rallying Odds On Hail Mary by 1/2 length, with 3-5 favorite Beach Cowgirl third. Sweet Amira, who is eligible to a number of rich late-season stakes, extended her career bankroll to $136,961.

Southwind Icenfire (Betting Line-Southwind Inertia) made the decisive move with a quick backside burst from third for Yannick Gingras that surprised even Kevin Lare, who conditions her for Frank Chick.

“I was expecting her to give a good burst. I don’t know that I was expecting her to run by the bunch of horses that she did,” Lare said. “We’ve been taking her off the gait, trying to prep her for this race, and it worked out really perfect.”

She triumphed in a career-best 1:50.3 to lift her lifetime bankroll to $144,164. Daffled Hanover was second, beaten a length, with early leader Knights Tale third.

SOUTHWIND ICENFIRE REPLAY

$60,000 PA Stallion Series — 3-Year-Old Filly Pacers

How Sweet Is That, Racin Hungry and Hello Yes Hi each took a division in Saturday’s (Aug. 12) sub-feature.

How Sweet Is That (Sweet Lou-Dreams On Me) followed first-up cover to a 1:52.1 victory, although winning driver Dave Palone said that trip was Plan B.

HOW SWEET IS THAT REPLAY

“Plan A was to cross her over and wait on one or just get around there on her own fractions,” Palone said. “But everybody had the same intentions, so I just took her back. We followed cover, and she took care of the rest.”

She prevailed by a length for trainer Robert Cleary and owners Oompa’s Farm, Inc., Robert Mondillo, Craig Henderson and Richard Gutnick. Romantic Evening was third-placed second, with Always Be City fourth-placed third.

Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. collected four wins on the 13-race card, including three for trainer Ron Burke. Aaron Merriman and trainer Dana Kahrig teamed for a pair of wins, as did Brady Brown and trainer Justin Lloyd.

77-1 shocker takes Amateur Series 

Stephen “You’re Never Too” Oldford and A Royal Line (Royalty For Life-Direct Dial) proved that you’re never too far back-ford, either, as they made up 5 lengths in the stretch and pulled off a 77-1 shocker in Saturday’s $10,000 leg of the Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association (GLADA) amateur trot at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

Tom “Mayhem” Svrcek (Just Like Magic) cut the fractions and appeared to have an insurmountable lead. But when Oldford angled A Royal Line off the cones out of the final turn, the 7-year-old gelding responded willingly. He downed Svrcek by a head in 1:57.1, with Nikki “Barista” Harvey (Never Say Uncle) and Joelene “The Jewel” Christman (Forever Jesse) completing the ticket.

Oldford credited the victory to advice he got from Scott Zeron, who won this year’s Hambletonian with Tactical Approach at 12-1 by brushing inside through the lane. Zeron was at The Meadows Saturday for sires stake racing. Noted Oldford:

“When he saw my odds, Scottie said, ‘Just sit, sit, sit. It treated me well.’ I said, ‘I know. I’ve watched your win about 10 times, so that’s what we’ll do.’ I didn’t think I had any shot. I thought, okay, we’ll finish this race up, get a check, and we’ll call it a day. But the guys in the front beat the daylights out of each other, just like with Scottie in the Hambo.”

A ROYAL LINE REPLAY

Terry Deters trains A Royal Line, who now boasts a career bankroll of $170,437, for Oldford Racing, LLC.

Live racing at The Meadows resumes Wednesday, first post 12:45 PM.

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

by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association