by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ —After two successive starts against the boys, Pure Country returns to racing against the ladies in Saturday’s (Aug. 20) $350,000 Valley Forge for 3-year-old female pacers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

She is the 5-2 morning line favorite despite an unfavorable starting spot, post No. 9, in the nine-horse field. Horses starting from post nine win 5.6 percent of the time at Pocono, the lowest percentage at the northeast Pennsylvania oval.

“I’m glad to see her back in with the girls, but I definitely didn’t want to draw the nine hole,” said Brett Miller, Pure Country’s regular driver. “That’s going to be tough. I’m just going to have to get out of there as best as I can and just hope I can pick up some cover.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Pure Country won the James Lynch Memorial earlier this year at Pocono.

Pure Country, trained by Jimmy Takter for owner Diamond Creek Racing, has won six of 11 races this year and earned a division-best $685,706. She took on the boys in the Cane Pace, missing by a nose for third place, and again in the Carl Milstein Memorial Invitational, where she was second to Betting Line. She encountered traffic trouble in both races.

“I do think she is still at the top of her game,” Miller said. “She beat some nice colts the last few starts.

“I’m not saying I could have won either race, but truthfully I thought her trips in both races were bad trips. I never could get her to where I wanted her to be. Not that I want to race against the boys again, but I would love to have a shot against them when I really had her in contention to see what she could do.”

Last season, Pure Country won all 10 of her races and received the Dan Patch Award for best 2-year-old female pacer.

First race post time is 6:30 p.m. (EDT) Saturday at Pocono. Below is the field for the Valley Forge, followed by the fields for the Battle of the Brandywine and Colonial.

$350,000 Valley Forge
3-year-old female pacers
Race 11/Post – 10:10 p.m.
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1. Call Me Queen Be – Scott Zeron – Ross Croghan – 12/1
2. Lindwood Beachgirl – Yannick Gingras – Mark Steacy – 4/1
3. Kiss Me Onthebeach – John Campbell – Chris Ryder – 5/1
4. JK Fannie – Corey Callahan – Nancy Johansson – 15/1
5. Shezarealdeal – Marcus Miller – Ross Croghan – 20/1
6. Darlinonthebeach – David Miller – Nancy Johansson – 3/1
7. Blue Moon Stride – Andrew McCarthy – Mark Harder – 6/1
8. I Said Diamonds – George Napolitano Jr. – Matias Ruiz – 10/1
9. Pure Country – Brett Miller – Jimmy Takter – 5/2

$500,000 Battle of the Brandywine
3-year-old pacers
Race 13/Post – 11:00 p.m.
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1. Betting Line – David Miller – Casie Coleman – 5/2
2. Boston Red Rocks – Tim Tetrick – Steve Elliott – 6/1
3. Racing Hill – Brett Miller – Tony Alagna – 4/1
4. Another Daily Copy – Corey Callahan – Nicholas Devita – 15/1
5. Check Six – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 5/1
6. Western Fame – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter – 10/1
7. JK Will Power – Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke – 12/1
8. Control The Moment – Brian Sears – Brad Maxwell – 3/1
9. Big Top Hanover – Scott Zeron – Ron Burke – 20/1

$500,000 Colonial
3-year-old trotters
Race 12/Post – 10:35 p.m.
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1. Dayson – David Miller – Ron Burke – 5/1
2. Marion Marauder – Scott Zeron – Paula Wellwood – 5/2
3. Milligan’s School – Brian Sears – Julie Miller – 12/1
4. Hititoutofthepark – Corey Callahan – John Butenschoen – 15/1
5. Love Matters – Mark MacDonald – Jimmy Takter – 20/1
6. Southwind Frank – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 3/1
7. Sutton – Andy Miller – Julie Miller – 6/1
8. Bar Hopping – Tim Tetrick – Jimmy Takter – 4/1
9. Waitlifter K – Matt Kakaley – Andrew Harris – 10/1