Wilkes-Barre, PA — Cardiff had to endure an eventful journey in the $30,000 Bobby Weiss Series final for pacing fillies and mares at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Monday (April 22), but the Sportswriter mare showed rare pluck in a lifetime-best 1:51.1 mile which saw her sustain an uncovered grind for the last five-eighths.

Cardiff sustained a two-move effort to claim the Bobby Weiss Series final for distaff pacers on Monday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Curtis Salonick photo.

Cardiff, who had a win and two second-place finishes in her Weiss prelims, was tucked in midpack from post eight by driver Simon Allard while 2-5 favorite Ghostwriter and Girl’s Got Rhythm argued through a smoking :26.2 quarter. Cardiff was again on the move with a lap to go as Girl’s Got Rhythm led the field to the half in :54.4, and then she cut into the pacesetter’s advantage by the 1:22.3 three-quarters while Ghostwriter lurked in the pocket.

Turning for home, it looked like the trip was starting to wear on Cardiff, as Ghosttothepost went to the Pocono Pike to try to catch Girl’s Got Rhythm. But Cardiff dug deep into her talent pool and gamely paced on to be 1-1/2 lengths ahead at the finish, with Ghosttothepost a neck ahead of Girl’s Got Rhythm for second. Simon’s brother Rene trains the courageous winner for Allard Racing Inc. and Carmen Carson.

Also on the Monday card were three $15,000 final-round preliminary divisions of the Weiss Series for trotting males, and My Lindy Winner established himself as the likely Weiss Championship favorite by scoring in 1:55.3 to remain undefeated in six seasonal starts. Though the Rob Harmon trainee won his other two preliminaries by six and four lengths, his half-length victory over pacesetter Dover Dony may have been the most impressive of the trio, as Jim Morrill Jr. sent the 4-year-old son of Credit Winner uncovered from third at the five-eighths, and his trotter responded by gaining into a :28.1 last quarter and finishing a measured winner.

The Conway Hall gelding Hammer Creek had two wins in the Weiss prelims, but in both victories his winning margin was only a nose. Eric Carlson sent Hammer Creek forward at the three-quarters, went to the lead in the stretch, then withstood the flying Livinonthedash in 1:55.3 for trainer Kenneth Hess Jr. and owner Richard Ciesielski.

Lightfootedlegend broke his maiden in fine style in his first Weiss appearance, angling out on the far turn and catching pacesetting Higgs Boson by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.3. Marcus Miller guided the 4-year-old for the Ervin Miller Stable Inc, Ronald Michelon, and Harvey Eisman.

Despite the good performances, the two Weiss debutants for the Millers did not finish in the top nine preliminary point winners. The unofficial top nine point winners heading for next Monday’s (April 29) $30,000 Weiss final for male trotters are (in order): My Lindy Winner, Hammer Creek, Higgs Boson, Chapter And Ruth, Dover Dony, Got No Money Honey, Keystone Thunder, Loving Life and Teardown This Wall.