Buckeye Nation's win is Palone's 500th stakes at Meadows

Unnerved by the sight of construction workers and equipment, Buckeye Nation nevertheless held it together long enough on Tuesday to take a division of the $136,000 Keystone Classic for freshman colt pacers and give Dave Palone his 500th stakes victory at The Meadows.

The Keystone Classic was contested over four divisions, with Sand Benelli, Wambam Sam and Precious Medal capturing the other splits. Palone enjoyed a triple with Wambam Sam and Precious Medal in addition to Buckeye Nation.

Palone knew he was facing an unusual mile with Buckeye Nation when the youngster hesitated while scoring down as he approached the site of racino construction that parallels the stretch.

“As soon as he came off the turn and saw all the heavy equipment over there, he almost stuck his toes in--scoring down and both times in the race,” Palone said. “He absolutely pulled himself up. Once he got past it, he was fine. In all this time, I haven’t had one spook with all the equipment until now, which is amazing.”

That made for a stop-and-start quarter pole move for Buckeye Nation, who still got the lead and managed to preserve it--despite a halting last quarter of :30.1. He scored in 1:54, 1 1/4 lengths better than Ray’s Western, while Lahaye was well back in third.

Robert Reynolds Jr. trains Buckeye Nation, who has won five of nine career starts, for Kevin Reynolds. The son of Allamerican Native-All Out Of Love is catalogued for sale in Harrisburg.

Sand Benelli turned in the fastest split of 1:53.1, a big effort considering that he dueled with Upfront Hoosierboy throughout a first quarter smoked in :26.3. They raced one-two for most of the mile, with Sand Benelli downing his rival by 2 1/2 lengths. Buggsy Yankee closed inside for show.

“It was definitely a wicked first quarter, and it did concern me,” said winning driver Brett Miller. “But he relaxed the second quarter and paced the third quarter very easily. By the third quarter, I wasn’t worried any more.”

Jim Arledge Jr. trains Sand Benelli, a gelded son of The Panderosa-Panterafansinlove who notched his first stake victory, for the partnership of Sanders, Mantooth, Mantooth and Evans.

Wambam Sam fashioned a facile front-end score in 1:53.3, a firm indication that the son of Real Artist-Roses For Sammie has overcome health problems that have limited him to four career starts.

“He was lame early, then he got sick,” said Clyde Francis, second trainer for George Teague Jr., who owns the colt with Let Me Out Stable. “He looked better today than I’ve seen him. He always had speed, but he had problems controlling it. We re-rigged him a little, changed the bit.”

Tidewater Tomahawk was 1 1/2 lengths back in second, with Allamerican Master third.

In the $25,000 Preferred Handicap Trot, Classical Man made his debut in the class a successful one, winning first-over in 1:54.3. Green Dot was a closing second, with RC Destiny third.

Bill Bercury trains and owns Classical Man, a 7-year-old gelded son of Malabar Man-Classical Motion who pushed his career bankroll to $285,118. (The Meadows)

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