Washington, PA --- Dismissed at 56-1, Ella Christina poured through the Lightning Lane to pull off the shocker in Saturday’s (July 29) $125,950 Quinton Patterson Adioo Volo at The Meadows. Blazin Britches captured the other division of the Adioo Volo, a Grand Circuit stake for 3-year-old filly pacers that was part of the Adios Card.
Ella Christina hadn’t won a stake this year, and driver Jim Pantaleano had little chance to get her into the cover flow.
“Going down the backstretch, I thought I might follow one of the favorites, but that spot disappeared and kind of made my decision for me,” he said. “They weren’t going much on the lead, so I figured they’d be getting home pretty good. I was surprised my filly had as much pace as she did. They were honking home pretty good.”
Nick Surick trains Ella Christina for Nick Surick Stable, J.L. Benson Stables, William Daggett, Jr. and Lawrence Vukovic.
The daughter of Western Ideal-Arthroscopic was fourth and apparently going nowhere when the horse immediately in front of her, Glassine Hanover, tipped off the cones for the drive.
That was the opportunity Ella Christina needed, and she took full advantage of it, downing Colorful Jasmine by a half-length in 1:52.2, matching her career best. Rosemary Rose was third.
The freshman campaign of Blazin Britches was aborted after a single race due to soreness, but she won six of her first seven starts this year, racing primarily at Hoosier Park. Then, trainer Brian Brown thought he noticed something amiss in her recent outings.
“We figure she bled her last three starts; luckily, we found it in time,” Brown said. “She looked like she would win in 1:50, and she got halfway up the stretch and started to let up. As you saw today, she didn’t give up.”
With the addition of Lasix for the Adioo Volo, Blazin Britches gobbled up the leader, Bettor’s Up, with a backside burst and went on to defeat her by two lengths in 1:50.1, a career best. Brazuca earned show.
Emerald Highlands Farm bred and owns Blazin Britches, a daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven-Soggy Britches who is eligible for most of the rich year-end stakes.