Wilkes-Barre, PA — Although a half-length winning margin might not suggest so, the Muscle Hill–Cooler Schooner freshman trotting gelding Real Cool Sam was absolutely in control in his $91,809 division of the final preliminary of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Sunday night (Aug. 25) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Real Cool Sam is undefeated in seven starts. Curtis Salonick photo.

Real Cool Sam and driver David Miller were looped out of the gate as Big Oil was hustled to the top, but the double world champion methodically made his way forward to the lead in :29.1, with his rivals showing respect and letting him get to the half in :59. Rome Pays Off, a winner in his only Sires start, came uncovered and gained through and past the 1:28 three-quarter pole.

In the stretch, Rome Pays Off grudgingly gave ground, but Big Oil still looked fresh in the pocket and ready to mount a big Pocono Pike dash. Miller, knowing his charge was not to be passed, sat chilly with Big Oil getting to within a half-length but not in a menacing fashion in the 1:56.2 mile. Rome Pays Off stayed on for a good third.

Real Cool Sam is undefeated in seven starts. Jim Campbell and Fashion Farms have seen their trotter earn $294,038 already, with many big stakes to come.

The other $92,209 Sires cut went to the Cantab Hall–Oh My Darlin colt Capricornus, a winner in his Sires bow in 1:55.2, equaling his mark. Tim Tetrick sent the winner to the top not long before the :28.2 quarter, then kept King Alphonso, who had been parked behind him early, out almost to the :57.4 half before yielding the top and letting his rival carry the lead past the 1:26.4 three-quarters and into the stretch.

Capricornus went to the Pocono Pike and was able to overhaul the tough leader, then held off EL Ideal rallying to his inside by three-quarters of a length, with King Alphonso third. Marcus Melander appears to have another good trotting colt in the two-time winner for JJ Stable.

On the Stallion Series side, there were four divisions, with the Muscle Hill–Oyster Kronos colt Beyond Kronos going the fastest mile of all the freshmen by remaining undefeated in three StS races. His 1:54.4 time was a new mark, a season’s record for his division, and tying the season’s record for all freshman trotting males on a five-eighths-mile oval. Beyond Kronos grinded first-up and worked to defeat pace-setting Askmelater Hanover, hard-used early, by a neck for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim Campbell, and owners Jeffrey and Michael Snyder.

Town Victor wound up as leading prelim point winner on the strength of three wins and a third in the StS, including his 1:55.3 win Sunday for driver Matt Kakaley, which gave him a new mark. The Winning Mister–P Town Girl gelding is already a five-time winner for trainer Rich Gillock, co-owner with Barbara Richardson.

The other two Stallion Series winners broke their maidens: Maesteraemon, an Andover Hall–Angel Pie colt who won in 1:58 for Team Melander, driver Mattias and trainer Marcus, and the S R F Stable; and Don Grigio, by Donato Hanover–Crazy Grigio, home in 1:57 for driver Corey Callahan, trainer John Butenschoen, and Crawford Farms Racing.