Washington, PA --- Mystic Desire took his time making the front, but he was tons the best once there as he demolished the field in a division of Monday’s (September 19) Keystone Classic at The Meadows. Reckless Ric captured the other split in the $96,000 event for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers and gave Dave Palone a driving sweep in the stake.
Palone bypassed an opportunity for an early hole with Mystic Desire, instead allowing the son of Real Desire-Cannes Festival to idle on the outside while the field settled. Mystic Desire then accelerated to the lead in a rapid :26.3 opening panel and was unassailable thereafter, drawing off to down Real Special by 6-3/4 lengths. Sky Mesa was third.
The time of 1:50.3 fell just a tick short of the stakes record established by Roddy’s Bags Again in 2005. Ross Croghan trains Mystic Desire, who now boasts $564,933 in lifetime earnings, for Let It Ride Stables, Robert Cooper Stables, Jerry Silva and Dana Parham.
Conditioned by George Teague, Jr., Restless Ric has performed for much of his career in the shadow of more famous stablemates such as Custard The Dragon and Wink N Atcha; his only previous win in 2011 was in an overnight at the Meadowlands.
But he sparkled in the Keystone Classic, making an easy lead, backing down the half and scoring comfortably in 1:51.2. Westwardho Hanover was 2-1/4 lengths back in second while Vegas Rusty completed the ticket. Bay Pond Racing Stable owns Reckless Ric, a son of Quik Pulse Mindale-Sand Speed.
Palone drove four winners and Mike Wilder three on the 16-race card, which kicked off a stretch of eight consecutive Meadows programs featuring Keystone Classic events. Tuesday’s card features the $80,200 Keystone Classic for 3-year-old filly pacers, headlined by Foxy Lady, this year’s Pennsylvania Sires Stakes divisional champion. First post is 12:55 p.m.