JK First Lady defeats Rocknificent in Pennsylvania All-Stars event

Wilkes-Barre PA — JK First Lady defeated Rocknificent in a much-anticipated showdown in one of two $35,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 29) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Rocknificent had the post advantage, starting from the rail vs. JK First Lady’s post six, but with no one else going out particularly hard to challenge the pole horse, Andrew McCarthy behind JK First Lady sent his filly frontward, making the lead just past the :27 quarter, then getting moderate middle fractions of :55.2 and 1:23.2.

The race came down to a sprint in the last eighth, with JK First Lady generating a :27 last quarter in holding safe over the inside-charging Rocknificent by a neck.

JK First Lady was allowed to go off at 7-5 vs. Rocknificent’s 2-5. But being able to dictate the tempo helped bring the Western Ideal-JK She’salady filly to her seventh career victory and earnings of $479,506.

The pair are likely to meet next Sunday in their Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final at Harrah’s Philadelphia, where they are likely to be joined by Party Girl Hill and Lyons Sentinel in a spectacular match-up.

The second $35,000 All-Stars section had fillies who among them had won 10 PA Stallion Series events.

Todd McCarthy duplicated brother Andrew’s feat by guiding the Captaintreacherous filly Marloe Hanover to a front-end 1:51.1 All-Stars triumph.

McCarthy and Marloe Hanover seized the lead from Dance Club in a :27.2 quarter, went on to the half in :55.1, then made the field strain to keep up with a :26.4 third quarter to be at the three-quarters in 1:22. Favored Going Gone Hanover (and Andrew) challenged on the outside on the far turn and into the stretch, and Dance Club loomed in the Pocono Pike, but Marloe Hanover held together to defeat her inside rival by a neck, with her outside rival another length back.

Marloe Hanover now has earnings of $363,759 for trainer Nifty Norman and the partnership of Pinske Stables, David Hoese, and Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky.

The Sunday twilight card will close out Pennsylvania All-Stars action for the year at The Downs with two $35,000 divisions of 3-year-old pacing colts. The attention will then turn to next Saturday afternoon’s card, which will bring together the cream of the Pennsylvania-sired 2-year-olds for their $1.2 million championship card.

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