Jujubee and Whiskey Blu, old rivals from a spring late-closer event, showed how well they’ve developed Friday at The Meadows, as each captured a division of the Super Bowl, a $147,706 Pennsylvania Sires Stake that wraps up the four preliminary legs in the series for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
With two wins and as many seconds, Jujubee cemented a berth in the $250,000 championship while Whiskey Blu’s two victories likely will earn him a slot. All four finals for sophomores are set for Sept. 4 at Pocono.
Jujubee quarter-poled to the top for Tony Hall and never had an anxious moment, defeating the rallying Ethan T Hanover by 3-3/4 lengths in a career-best 1:53.1. Early leader Sunny Crockett completed the ticket.
Whiskey Blu survived a demanding opening panel and rolled to a comfortable victory in the James Manderino, a $36,995 Arden Downs Grand Circuit Stake for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters, on Saturday (July 10) at The Meadows.
Capstone, the 3-5 favourite, parked Whiskey Blu past the quarter in :27.3, but winning driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. indicated he wasn’t unduly concerned about that tough early journey.
“I had to steady him to make sure he got through the first turn,” Wrenn said. “But once I got to the lead, I was pretty confident in my horse. I kept his attention late, but he had a lot more trot. He’s nice. There’s a reason he’s already won 11 times this year. I imagine he’d be really good on a big track, but he was strong today.”
In Range was one of the top trotting male freshmen last year, and the Hambletonian eligible was looking to kick off a huge sophomore campaign in Saturday’s $150,507 Pennsylvania Sires Stake at The Meadows. But midway down the backside, he was passed by local favourite Jujubee. How would he respond?
Quite nicely, thank you. In Range overtook Jujubee in mid-stretch and scored in 1:52.3, matching the stake record established by Valley Of Sin in 2013.
The stake, known as the Hickory Smoke, was contested over three divisions, with Whiskey Blu and Johan Palema taking the other splits.
Marcus Melander, who trains In Range for AMG Stable, Kenneth Kjellgren, Tomas Ansell and Rick Wahlstedt, said he wasn’t overly concerned when the son of Bar Hopping-Ilia yielded the lead to the local upstart.
Filly Speaks was all out to do it, but she captured her second-consecutive series win and fourth overall in the Ruby Cook Memorial Pace on Wednesday (April 7) at The Meadows. Peep N Weep took a similar narrow victory in the other $12,500 second-leg division of the event for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Filly Speaks quarter-poled to the front for Tony Hall and opened a two-length lead past the three-quarters before Oceans Apart began to gain ground. Filly Speaks held off that rival by a nose to score in 1:53.3, matching her career best. Defy The Odds finished third.
Scott Betts trains the daughter of Artspeak-Fillys Victory for Tim Betts, Nick Catalano and Keith Pippi.
Seven Straight For Whiskey Blu | Standardbred Canada standardbredcanada.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from standardbredcanada.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.