Hazleton Kay - 2FP
In 1985 trainer Bruce Nickells developed an absolute superstar of a two-year-old pacing filly, appropriately named Follow My Star. Owned by Ridgedale Farms of California. she went on to freshman divisional honors and returned triumphantly to the races at age three. She was purchased by wheeler-dealer Lou Guida shortly before the 1986 Crown, and though she finished third in that event, her subsequent success and eventual Crown triumph in 1987 sealed Nickell's fate in a peculiar way. From 1986 on he would be known as a topnotch "filly man" and each year Guida would stock his barn the cream of the distaff pacing crop.
Nickells won the 1988 freshman filly Crown event with Central Park West, owned by North Woodland Stable and Perretti Farms and the 1990 edition with the heroic Miss Easy. The latter filly was owned by Rose Guida and the Royal Palm Stable. In the interim, Nickells campaigned such top flight fillies as Bruce's Lady, Conquered Quest, Hambletonian Oaks winner Park Avenue Kathy, Marcasite and Nadia Lobell.
Miss Easy usurped Follow My Star's record as the richest pacing filly of all time, retiring with more than $1. 7 million in her bankbook. Nickells was named the co-winner of the 1990 Glen Garnsey Award for his skills as a conditioner. That he had a top contender for the 1991 Crown edition was not a surprise; what was mildly surprising was that his entrant, Hazleton Kay, was not the favorite.
There was no dearth of talent in the group. Fifteen fillies entered, forcing two $25,000 Crown eliminations the week before. Though Hazleton Kay raced poorly in her last stakes appearance, the Three Diamonds, Nickells was convinced she was recovered from a bout with a virus and would perform to previous standards. Sure enough John Campbell tipped the first crop daughter of Jate Lobell out around the last turn, uncorking a healthy :27.3 last quarter to brush by Canadian stakes winner Tabloid in 1 :54.1. Gold Coast, one of two fillies entered in the eliminations owned by George Segal, was third and Farmgirl Hanover also made the next week's final.
n the second elimination Summer Child, driven and trained by Richard Silverman, recorded a handy length and a quarter 1 :54.3 victory. Ghostly and Laag's Pleasure, both products of another first crop sire, Laag, were second and third respectively. Success Rd was the last qualifier, as Three Diamonds winner Lights On. a daughter of five-time starter Breeders Crown starter Enroute, could not make up enough ground after a torrid :55.3 half caused by a duel between Touch Lightly and Simply Ravishing.
At post time, Sweetheart winner Summer Child was the solid favorite, and Silverman drove her accordingly. He sent her to the front at a brisk clip of :27.4 and a :56.3 half. Hazleton Kay paced along in second behind her. with Ghostly third and Tabloid on a first-over move. Campbell, sensing that Summer Child was tiring and hearing the approach of Tabloid, seized the opportunity to whip Hazleton Kay off the rail and out and around the weary Summer Child.
It was the winning move. Campbell had a length on Tabloid as they buzzed by the three-quarter pole in 1 :24.3 and maintained the lead under the wire despite a late rush from Laag's Pleasure. Gold Coast finished evenly to pick up third money. The time of 1 :53.4 was a season's record, and just a fifth of a second off the world record set by Central Park West in 1988. No trainer has won the same Breeders Crown even! three times, which will certainly cement Nickells' reputation as a "filly" man.
Hazleton Kay was also bred by Lou Guida, and named for his mother-in-law, Kay, who hails from Hazleton, Pennsylvania. She is owned by Rose Guida and the Royal Palm Stable, who had barely left the winners circle after winning the previous event with their sophomore
pacing filly Miss Easy. Hazleton Kay's successful Crown performance and seasonal earnings of $455,354 sent her on to divisional honors and solidified Jate Lobell's reputation as a sire.
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