Crown Laurel sets 1:54.3 Chester mark in PASS

With morning-line favorite Bone A Fide slated to race in the Elegantimage Stakes final later in the week and thus scratched, Crown Laurel prevailed in 1:54.3 in a $64,059 division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Wednesday afternoon at Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack. The time set a track record.

 

In the race's early stages, Matt Kakaley had the daughter of Cantab Hall racing conservatively from mid-field, well off leaders Barham Hanover (Mike Wilder) and Pursuit Of Dream (Brian Sears) through initial splits of :27.2 and :57.1.

 

"I didn't want to rush her out anyway. You've got to watch her some going into the first turn," commented Kakaley. "When Brian and Mike left for the lead (with Pursuit Of Dream and Barham Hanover), I wanted to make sure I was in the flow no matter what. If I was going to follow anyone, it was going to be George (Napolitano, with favourite Greathallofchina). But it looked like his filly was struggling a bit, so I came first-over."

 

Moving up the backstretch, Crown Laurel gained steadily first-over, offering mild pressure to Barham Hanover before flattening a bit on the far turn. However, Crown Laurel would have the upper hand in the end, putting away Barham Hanover at the eighth pole and drawing clear for a four and a quarter length victory. Pursuit Of Dream finished third.

 

"When I moved her, I didn't know how much Barham Hanover had on the lead, but there was never a doubt with my filly," Kakaley concluded. She just exploded."

Easy Dream (1:55.2, SJ's Caviar, Dave Palone)
Secret Magic (1:54.4, Cantab Hall, Mike Lachance)
Spicy Wings (1:55, Andover Hall, John Campbell)

 

(Harrah's Chester)