PASS, Great Northeast finals slated for Pocono Sunday
August 28, 2018,from PHHA/Pocono
Wilkes-Barre, PA — The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono presents an outstanding card this Sunday night (Sept. 2), with $1.5 million in purses at stake: four $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes finals for 3-year-olds and their attendant $50,000 consolations, along with three $100,000 Great Northeast Open Series finals — open pacers, pacing mares and open trotters — at 1-1/4 miles.
Pennsylvania Sire Stakes
3-Year-Old Filly Trot (race nine)
The post position draw for this division would almost make it seem like a handicap race, as the two horses who tied for first in the standings drew the far outside: Piranha Fury (post eight) and Live Laugh Love (post nine).
The likely favorite in this contest is Phaetosive, a daughter of Explosive Matter starting from post two for trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer and the Purple Haze Stables LLC. Phaetosive has never finished off the board in 13 career starts, has often been mentioned alongside “super fillies” Manchego and Atlanta, and comes into this race with four victories in her last five starts, including two wins in Sire Stakes action.
Divisional defending champion Manchego raced only once in the PASS this year, and coming off her epic win over Hambletonian champion Atlanta, she did not drop in.
The full field, in post position order, with nominated drivers and trainers:
1. Megadolce (David Miller, Nifty Norman); 2. Phaetosive (trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer); 3. Miss Jubilee Hill (Tim Tetrick, Mark Steacy); 4. Lily Stride (Tim Tetrick, Mark Steacy); 5. Seviyorum (Andy Miller, Julie Miller); 6. Courtney Hanover (Scott Zeron, Rick Zeron); 7. Lima Charisma (Andrew McCarthy, Åke Svanstedt); 8. Piranha Fury (Dexter Dunn, Nifty Norman); 9. Live Laugh Love (David Miller, Nifty Norman).
3-Year-Old Filly Pace (race 10)
Kissin In The Sand, the Somebeachsomewhere filly who won in her final preliminary to ensure herself a spot in this field, is the likely favorite in this contest despite post seven for driver Scott Zeron, trainer Nancy Johansson and owners Marvin Katz and the Hatfield Stables. Ranked in the North American Top Ten, Kissin In The Sand has six wins and three second-place finishes in nine seasonal starts, and Pocono fans will long remember her gutsy victory in the Lynch Final earlier this year despite being parked most of the mile.
Sidewalk Dancer, the 2017 Pennsylvania Stallion Series champion, stepped up to win two Sire Stakes preliminaries this year, and is a major danger along with Alexa’s Power.
The field: 1. Aldine Hanover (Marcus Miller, Erv Miller); 2. Sidewalk Dancer (Brett Miller, Chris Oakes); 3. Alexa’s Power (Tim Tetrick, Jim Campbell); 4. Double A Mint (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke); 5. Parisian Blue Chip (Tim Tetrick, Mark Steacy); 6. Serene Stride (Corey Callahan, Mark Harder); 7. Kissin In The Sand (Scott Zeron, Nancy Johansson); 8. Sansovina Hanover (Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke); 9. Scuola Hanover (David Miller, Andrew Stafford).
3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot (race 11)
Crystal Fashion certainly brings impressive credentials to the final by way of wins in his Hambletonian elimination, the Earl Beal and two Sire Stakes preliminaries. The seven-time winner by Cantab Hall is likely to be favored despite drawing post eight, with Tim Tetrick slated to drive as usual for trainer Jim Campbell and Fashion Farms LLC.
Whats The Word, starting just to the inside of Crystal Fashion, was the only other finalist to record two PASS preliminary triumphs, but must be on his best behavior to have any shot here.
The field: 1. Hill Street (Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter); 2. Exarch (Dave Palone, Ron Burke); 3. Donatover (trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer); 4. Patent Leather (David Miller, Jim Campbell); 5. Scirocco Rob (Corey Callahan, John Butenschoen); 6. Evaluate (Brian Sears, Marcus Melander); 7. Whats The Word (Simon Allard, Rene Allard); 8. Crystal Fashion (Tim Tetrick, Jim Campbell); 9. Make It A Double (Andy Miller, Julie Miller).
3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace (race 12)
Dorsoduro Hanover, victorious in his only three Sire Stakes starts and also the Adios, was the top point winner, and should attract major attention here. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding starts from post four for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Ron Burke, and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Silva, Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and the Wingfield Five.
Done Well, starting from the rail, has never lost in five Pennsylvania Sire Stakes starts: three last year and a double in his two 2018 events.
The field: 1. Done Well (Tim Tetrick, Brian Brown); 2. This Is The Plan (Andrew McCarthy, Chris Ryder); 3. Macadoodledoo (David Miller, Mark Silva); 4. Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke); 5. Wes Delight (Corey Callahan, Mark Harder); 6. Hayden Hanover (Andy Miller, Julie Miller); 7. Captain Deo (Brett Miller, Tony Alagna); 8. I’m A Big Deal (George Napolitano Jr., Chris Ryder); 9. Albergo Hanover (Joe Bongiorno, Jennifer Bongiorno).
Great Northeast Open Series
This summer-long series produced outstanding racing among open pacers, open trotters and pacing mares at both Harrah’s Philadelphia and The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. The talent of the horses is such that the world records for 1-1/4 miles over a 5/8-mile track, both set at Dover Downs, could well be in serious jeopardy. Magician holds the trotting record of 2:24.3, while Boulder Creek holds the pacing record of 2:19.4.
These Great Northeast finals are also a great showcase for the Pennsylvania-sired program: entrants who have also been Pennsylvania champs include Agent Q and Caviart Ally (mare pace), Broadway Donna and Lagerfeld (open trot), and open pacer Donttellmeagain
Mares Pace (race six)
Even though the top four point winners drew post five or inside, the mare who finished eleventh in the points and got in by others not declaring will command the most interest: Shartin N. And why shouldn’t she with her credentials – ranked No. 3 in the North American polls with a seasonal record that shows $759,111 in earnings and 14 wins, with two of those victories her only starts in the Great Northeast series. The daughter of Tintin In America will have to overcome post eight for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim King Jr., and owners Richard Pollucci and Jo Ann Looney-King, but she has shown the ability to do it.
The field: 1. Divas Image (Joe Bongiorno, Jennifer Bongiorno); 2. L A Delight (Yannick Gingras, Nancy Johansson); 3. Agent Q (David Miller, Chris Oakes); 4. Bettorhaveanother (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke); 5. Tequila Monday (Eric Goodell, Hunter Oakes); 6. Nike Franco N (Tim Tetrick, Jim King Jr.); 7. Blue Moon Stride (Corey Callahan, Mark Harder); 8. Shartin N (Tim Tetrick, Jim King Jr.); 9. Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy, Noel Daley).
Open Trot (race seven)
Homicide Hunter, the only horse in all of the Great Northeast Series to win four races and his division’s point leader, devastated last week at Pocono in 1:51.4 without appearing to draw a labored breath. Already a two-time world champion, the Mr Cantab gelding may add another line in the tables to his credit here as he begins from post seven for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Chris Oakes, and Crawford Farms Racing.
The field: 1. Satin Dancer (Tim Tetrick, Travis Alexander); 2. Muscle Diamond (Andrew McCarthy, Brett Bittle); 3. Broadway Donna (David Miller, Jim Campbell); 4. Tight Lines (trainer-driver Jeff Gregory); 5. In Secret (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke); 6. Smalltownthrowdown (Simon Allard, Rene Allard); 7. Homicide Hunter (George Napolitano Jr., Chris Oakes); 8. Lagerfeld (Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter).
Open Pace (race eight)
This final drew the top seven point winners, but two horses “from the bubble” are very interesting. Donttellmeagain, beaten a head last week to miss out on an automatic spot, still got in through non-declarations for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim King Jr., and Paton Racing Stables Inc., and Western Joe, winner of the Sam McKee Memorial (at 1 1/8 miles), for driver Scott Zeron, trainer Chris Choate and owners Anthony Ruggeri and Richard Tosies. These two start from post two and three, respectively. To their inside is More The Better N, who ensured his own spot with a neck victory at Pocono in his last start.
The field: 1. More The Better N (Corey Callahan, Ross Croghan); 2. Donttellmeagain (Tim Tetrick, Jim King Jr.); 3. Western Joe (Scott Zeron, Chris Choate); 4. Rodeo Romeo (George Napolitano Jr., Chris Ryder); 5. Rockeyed Optimist (Brett Miller, Jake Leamon); 6. Highalator (Eric Carlson, Jenny Bier); 7. Mach It So (George Napolitano Jr., Jeff Bamond Jr.); 8. Bettor’s Edge (Scott Zeron, Jennifer Lappe); 9. Sunfire Blue Chip (Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter).
Post time on Sunday is 7 p.m.
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