Improving Concerto aims for Lynch
June 23, 2017,by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications
Ken Weingartner
Freehold, NJ — Kelvin Harrison knows Lynch Memorial hopeful Concerto is stepping up in class, but he thinks it could be a stepping stone.
Unraced at age 2, Concerto has won four of eight races this season as she prepares for Saturday’s eliminations of the James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. All of Concerto’s victories have come in conditioned races, but the filly held her own in one start in state-restricted stakes action and has Harrison looking forward to her future.
“It’s just an experience thing with her,” Harrison said. “Each time she races she seems to get a little bit better. I think this is pretty wishful thinking this week going in against these fillies, but eventually I believe she’ll be up to that level.”
USTA/Ken Weingartner photo
Kelvin Harrison will send Concerto into Saturday’s eliminations of the James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
Concerto competes in the third of three Lynch eliminations. The six-horse field features the top two finishers from last week’s Fan Hanover Stakes — nose winner Bettor’s Up and runner-up Agent Q, with Agent Q getting the 2-1 nod in morning line favoritism over 5-2 Bettor’s Up. Concerto is 10-1.
The first elimination is led by Lismore Pace winner Tequila Monday (2-1) and returning Dan Patch Award winner Idyllic Beach (3-1). In the second elimination, multiple stakes winner Roaring To Go (2-1) and Pennsylvania Stallion Series standout Brazuca (5-2) are the top choices.
The top three finishers from each elimination advance to the $300,000 Lynch final July 1 at Pocono.
Saturday’s card at Pocono also includes eliminations of the Ben Franklin for older male pacers, Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old trotters, and Max C. Hempt Memorial for 3-year-old male pacers.
Concerto is a daughter of stallion Bettor’s Delight out of the Badlands Hanover mare Born Storyteller. The filly is owned by breeder Ron Mario, who also bred and raced Born Storyteller.
Born Storyteller won an elimination of the Lynch in 2005 and finished fourth in the final. A year later, she finished second to Burning Point in the Breeders Crown Mare Pace. Concerto’s half-sister Beach Story was third in the 2014 Jugette.
Concerto suffered from soreness as a 2-year-old and was turned out. She made her debut in March with a 10th-place finish at the Meadowlands, but since then has finished worse than second only twice. One time was on a sloppy track at Harrah’s Philadelphia, where she went off stride, and the other was a fifth-place finish in a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, where she was beaten by only 1-3/4 lengths.
She has two wins and a second in her most recent three starts.
“We brought her back late last year and got her ready to race,” Harrison said. “She wasn’t the fastest learner; she was a little aggressive. But she’s settled in good.
“When they don’t race at 2 and they have to go against these horses at 3 it’s a little harder for some of them. She raced once in the sire stakes at (Philly) and she was really pretty good and I think she’s improved since then. This is a tall order, but I think she can develop into being this type of filly.”
For a look at all the entries for Saturday at Pocono, click here.
- Spectacular Saturday at Pocono with Sun Stakes eliminations (Monday, June 19, 2017)
The very best trotters and pacers in North American harness racing will be converging on The Downs at Mohegan Pocono with elimination races being held this Saturday (June 24) for the right to participate in the Sun Stakes Saturday supercard on Saturday (July 1).
- Update on Sun Stakes Saturday elims (Tuesday, June 20, 2017)
Saturday (June 24), the very best of the best trotters and pacers in North America will descend upon The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Northeast Pennsylvania for the Sun Stakes Saturday eliminations. The star power for this night is dazzling! After scratch time on Tuesday, the final driving assignments and morning line odds have been released.
- Soup’s on (Wednesday, June 21, 2017)
Talent Soup was limited to a handful of races last year at age 2 because of sickness, but trainer Bruce Saunders saw enough of the colt to believe there was ability beyond the horse’s name. Good looking, well gaited, quick, and professional, Talent Soup checked all the boxes.
- Sun Stakes eliminations top Grand Circuit schedule (Wednesday, June 21, 2017)
The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono will host four sets of stakes eliminations on Saturday (June 24).
- EBC triumph sends Devious Man to Beal (Wednesday, June 21, 2017)
Less than a week ago, trainer Julie Miller was uncertain whether she would send Devious Man to the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial. Devious Man’s performance in last Sunday’s Empire Breeders Classic made the decision easier. Devious Man won the EBC championship by four lengths over Bill’s Man in 1:52.2, prompting Team Miller — Julie and husband Andy — to enter the colt in the Beal.
- Mel Mara aspires to Franklin glory (Friday, June 23, 2017)
He is a world champion and one of the few horses to possess the distinction of besting Always B Miki and Sweet Lou, yet Mel Mara has not visited the winner’s circle for a stakes race since he captured the 2012 edition of the Ontario Sire Stakes Gold final at Flamboro Downs over that year’s Little Brown Jug winner Michael’s Power. His connections are hoping this is the year the 8-year-old stallion collects his fair share of hardware beginning with a victory in his $35,000 Ben Franklin elimination on Saturday (June 24) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
- Ariana G, Mel Mara, Downbytheseaside wow at Pocono (Saturday, June 24, 2017)
Ariana G, Mel Mara, and Downbytheseaside were impressive in victories in the Sun Super Stakes eliminations Saturday (June 24) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in a night with a healthy dose of favorites and a sprinkling of longshots as victors. Each of next week’s (July 1) championship events on the $2 million Sun Stakes Saturday card – the $500,000 Ben Franklin Free-For-All Pace, the $500,000 Earl Beal 3-Year-Old Trot, the $500,000 Max C. Hempt 3-Year-Old Colt Pace, and the $300,000 James Lynch 3-Year-Old Filly Pace – had enough entrants to necessitate three elimination divisions on this Saturday’s (June 24) card, with the top three finishers returning in seven days for their respective championship event.