by PHHA/Pocono Downs

Wilkes-Barre, PA — For those watching at home and the fans in attendance, they witnessed two jaw-dropping performances by a horse that could not seem to suffer defeat and another that certainly could not triumph in the $25,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial eliminations for 3-year-old trotting males on Saturday (June 25) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Bar Hopping nailed Southwind Frank at the wire in 1:52.1.

The Muscle Hill colt Bar Hopping, driven by Tim Tetrick for Team Takter, shocked Hambletonian favorite Southwind Frank with a 1:52.1 in his elimination, but it took the fastest mile of the year by a sophomore on a five-eighths mile oval, and a huge effort from the impressive winner, to do so.

Bar Hopping left strongly for the lead, then forced longshot Promise Delivered to go :26.3 to get the lead. Southwind Frank could have taken a 3-tuck, but Yannick Gingras kept last year’s divisional champion on the bit and sent him on to the top early on the frontstretch. The half was reached in :55.4, and the battle became enjoined when Bar Hopping vacated the three-hole to challenge.

Southwind Frank went by the three-quarter pole in 1:24.2 and still looked in control as they turned for home, but in only his third start of the year and off a 25-day layoff, “Frank” was just, frankly, outtrotted, but remember the last quarter was :27.4, into the wind. But tonight Bar Hopping proved the toughest; in their wake came Trolley and Dice Man.

Bar Hopping was the fourth first-time 2016 winner among the six Sun Stakes Saturday sophomore elims, but like all of that type he too had been thereabouts in top company all year. Christina Takter, Hatfield Stables, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld own the game sophomore, now a winner of $147,514.

Curtis Salonick photos

Dayson pulls off a nearly impossible victory in his $25,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial elimination.

The Conway Hall gelding Dayson has never been beaten in 14 career starts when he has stayed flat, but that statement looked ready to go by the boards at headstretch of the first Beal elimination.

After a contested first quarter of :27.1, Brooklyn Hill brushed in front of the grandstand and posted middle splits of 55.4 and 1:23.4, opening a three length lead at the three-quarter pole and carrying that margin around the turn. Dayson had been moved out from fifth by driver Jim Morrill Jr. but was still five lengths off the leader at the top of the lane and still three down with 200 feet to go.

But Dayson was flying late, and Brooklyn Hill, despite a big effort, proved a nose less photogenic at the wire, which was reached in 1:52.3, with Truemass Volo coming from way back for third; Reigning Moni was fourth ahead of Hollywood Highway, the faster fifth-place Beal horse.

The winner is now 4-for-6 in 2016 and 11-for-14 in his career for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing LLC, Our Horse Cents Stable, J&T Silva Stables LLC, and Rossie Smith. The winning clocking was a tick behind Dayson’s career best, and the season’s record.