Lear Jetta flies to Keystone Classic win

Lear Jetta survived a four-ply first-quarter dual for the lead and remained undefeated in four career starts by capturing a division of the $105,798 Keystone Classic for 2-year-old colt trotters Monday night at The Meadows.

The stake for Pennsylvania-breds was conducted over three divisions, with Production and One Moment Please taking the other splits. Dave Palone continued his red-hot driving, winning eight of the 13 races on the card.

Hampered by post position nine, Lear Jetta and trainer-driver Robert Myers Sr. found themselves four wide while pursuing the early lead, an unenviable position for a freshman trotter. But Myers said the son of Lindy Lane was well within himself.

"I wasn't battling,” Myers said. “I knew as soon as they lined up I would get to the front. I could have been around them quicker if I wanted to. He wasn't quite as good tonight. He was making a little noise when I pulled him up. I hope he's not getting ready to get sick.”

Wrapped up late, Lear Jetta prevailed by in 2:00.3 by three-quarters of a length over Andover's Son, with Dauntless De Vie a rallying third. Myers, who drives infrequently, said he reins Lear Jetta at the request of owner James S. McAuliffe.

“They've been trying to buy this colt from him,” Myers reported, “but he said, 'What is money to me? I'm 90 years old, I want to enjoy him, and I want you to drive him.' But I'll be stepping down pretty soon.”

Production took advantage of one of his few stakes engagements to fashion an effortless victory following a quarter-pole move by Palone. The son of Broadway Hall scored in 2:00-the stake's fastest split-4 3/4 lengths better than Clapton Blue Chip. NF Rivertown was well back in third.

Trainer Kelly O'Donnell purchased Production privately for Jack Tramonte and KO Racing Stables after the colt sold for $7,000 as a yearling.

“Somebody had him at Lebanon, Ohio,” O'Donnell said. “I went there and trained him in 2:10 on a half-mile track. He was flawless, and he's a big colt. I thought, if he can get around there in 2:10, he's worth buying.

“He wasn't staked to a whole lot, so we'll get what we can get and re-stake him next year.”

Roger Hammer rushed One Moment Please to the lead from the rail, disdaining an early seat. The son of Donerail responded with a wire-to-wire victory in 2:00.2, his second consecutive stakes win. The Budster was 1 1/4 lengths back in second while Jealousy was third.

“That was the plan Roger and I had,” said trainer Neal Ehrhart. “I know this colt is good on the front end. He's hard to rate when he's being chased. I told Roger if he's okay, let him roll out of there. Having the rail, it was a good time to do that.”

He said One Moment Please, who is leased by Virginia A. Ehrhart, already has exceeded his expectations.

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