Lolique, Charlie in Classics

Lolique minded his manners and won his $31,500 division of a Keystone Classic for 3-year-old colt trotters in 1:56.3 Thursday night at The Meadows. Driven to victory by Bill Fahy, Lolique used a quarter-pole move to his advantage to score the easy victory.

“He’s gotten a little bit older and a little bit smarter since I last drove,” Fahy said about Lolique’s recent problems with staying on stride. Lolique has broke stride in two of his last four starts, but was on good behavior Thursday for Fahy.

Bacardi Lindy, driven by Dave Palone, came flying down the backstretch to challenge Lolique, but Fahy remained cool in sulky and urged Lolique slightly.

“I heard Dave (Palone) coming and I knew he had a head of steam, but I didn’t want to let him clear,” Fahy said. “Keeping him (Bacardi Lindy) out around the turn really helped my horse. Dave’s horse is a real nice horse too.”

Lolique was under wraps crossing the wire in 1:56.3. Bacardi Lindy managed to hold the place spot and Lovin Every Moment and Charlie Norris finished third.

Charlie O Charlie, a $17,000 yearling purchase, used quick early fractions by others to his advantage and closed with a three-wide move in the stretch to win by a nose in the first division of the Keystone Classic, in 1:57.4 with driver Ray Paver aboard.

“They battled a little bit on the front end,” said Paver. “He (Charlie O Charlie) doesn’t have a lot of gait speed, so it worked out good and I got to go three deep around the tired horses.”

American Pacific and driver Palone left for the early lead from post position eight and set quarter time fractions of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:27.3. Santana Bluestone pressured American Pacific for the first half of the mile, but Palone refused to let Santana Bluestone clear. This enabled Charlie O Charlie to get the dream trip Paver wished.

“I was hoping for a good trip in here to get second or third,” Paver said about his thoughts coming into the race. “I got lucky and picked up the pieces.”

Charlie O Charlie paid $47.20 to his backers on a $2 win ticket. American Pacific left very gamely and held on for the place spot. Kerogen and Kim Ireland closed to finish third.

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