Ideal Weather reigns at Mea

Ideal Weather turned in the ideal performance, going wire to wire in 1:52.3 to capture the fastest division of the $150,000 Adioo Volo for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday at The Meadows.

The stake, a companion feature to the $450,000 Coors Delvin Miller Adios, was contested in three divisions, with Pilgrims Witchie and Delightful Hope taking the other splits.

Ideal Weather took the field to the half in a seemingly comfortable :56.3, but then faced a stiff challenge from the first-over Everybreathutake and John Campbell, who drew even with the leader.

“If you noticed, she didn’t act like she had any go until John came to her, then she picked up the bit and fought, which is what you want,” said winning driver Dave Palone. "You want a filly to relax like that. She has to be right up there with the top ones. I’ve raced Armbro Dancer and a few of the fillies that are at the top—she’s not far behind them.”

Ideal Weather, who pushed her career bankroll beyond $325,000, finished 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Sunshine State, with longshot Kat N Mouse in third. Mickey Burke trains the daughter of Western Ideal for Sylvia Burke, Lawrence Karr and Thomas Cherichello.

The Burke stable was unusually busy on the day; it was scheduled to race 37 horses at six different tracks. No one knows for sure if that’s a record, but it’s a lot better than average.

Palone also steered Pilgrims Witchie, who surrendered the lead down the backstretch to Caviart Sydney and Ron Pierce and found herself three lengths in arrears. The daughter of The Panderosa rallied in the stretch to prevail in 1:52.4 by three-quarters of a length over Caviart Sydney. CC Stacy came from well back to finish third.

“She was a little steppy at times, and I didn’t want to risk tipping her over,” Palone said. “I knew Ronnie’s filly could sprint real good, so I knew he would get around me. I just didn’t want him to get away from me that much. But once I tracked him and got on his helmet in the last turn, I thought my filly might be a little stronger. She’s a bigger filly. I thought I might be able to wear him down.”

Abram Stoltzfus trains Pilgrims Witchie for Rodney P. Andrews and Edward W. Andrews.

Delightful Hope and driver Brian Sears were in an unenviable position, sitting fourth after a leisurely :57.4 half.
“I liked my filly a lot,” Sears said. “She can finish, and I thought she might be able to outstep them no matter how slow they went. She really has a good turn of speed. We kind of ground up there pretty slow first over. When I asked her to pace, she picked it up, no problem.”

Delightful Hope paced on to score a one length victory in 1:54.2 over a hard-charging Armbro Davina, who rallied from last after the three-quarters. Leavea Smile and Endless Delight finished in a dead heat for show.

Virgil Morgan, Jr. trains Delightful Hope, a daughter of Real Artist, for Dino Locastro and Daniel Miller.

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