Wilkes-Barre, PA — Two more trotting colts from the seemingly-endless line produced by the Marcus Melander stable were among the three winners of $30,000 divisions of the Pennsylvania All Stars for freshmen conducted Monday afternoon (July 6) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

The faster of the two winners from Melander, last year’s Trainer of the Year, was the colt In Range, by Bar Hopping out of Ilia (the dam of $400,000-plus winners Tight Lines and Long Tom). Tim Tetrick hustled the colt away from the rail, kept him in line when he suffered some “greenness” coming off the first turn (where the Pocono paddock is), yielded to stablemate Incentive for the two-hole, then came up the inside in the stretch to catch his barn mate by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:55.1. The fast freshman is owned by AMG Stable Inc., Kenneth Kjellgren, Tomas Asell, and Rick Wahlstedt.

The other Melander victory went to Bidensky, a Father Patrick colt out of Southern Senorita (dam of millionaire Guccio), who stopped the timer in 1:55.3. Marcus’ younger brother Mattias was willing to keep Bidensky three-wide most of the first turn in order to get the lead, and he maintained a comfortable margin the rest of the way, with a late-closing Tart Tongue only getting as close as 1-1/4 lengths away at the finish. Bidensky is owned by Brixton Medical Inc.

Both the Melander youngsters were betting favorites; the third winner, Southern Mazzarati, rewarded his backers with an 11-1 payoff. The Southwind Frank colt out of Alix Hall (dam of the $900,000-plus winner Flex The Muscle) got the lead at the quarter under Andrew McCarthy’s handling, would rate a 1:00 middle half, then sprinted home in :28.4 to complete a 1:58.2 mile that saw Arnold N Dicky 1-1/2 lengths in back of him at the wire. The Lucas Wallin pupil is co-owned by his trainer, Mazza Racing Stables, and Stormi And Bruiser Stable.

Driver Tyler Buter had four wins on the card, one of them with Wild Bill, a son of Somebeachsomewhere–Wild West Show, making him a full brother to world champion Huntsville. Wild Bill rushed to the lead at the half and went on to victory in a lifetime best 1:50.2. The 5-year-old stallion achieved just the sixth triumph of his career, but maybe now is his time for owner/trainer Ray Schnittker.