by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager

Ken Weingartner

Hightstown, NJ — Dan Patch Award-winner Lost In Time makes his seasonal debut Saturday (May 19) in the third of three divisions of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 3-year-old male pacers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and there is no shortage of familiar faces joining the colt in the field.

Also making their seasonal debuts in the same race are Breeders Crown champion Stay Hungry and stakes-winners Hayden Hanover, who was the fastest 2-year-old male pacer of 2017, and Nutcracker Sweet. In addition, stakes-winner Wes Delight is part of the eight-horse field.

Stay Hungry, who starts from post No. 3 for driver Doug McNair and trainer Tony Alagna, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite. Lost In Time, who leaves from post six with Scott Zeron at the lines for Jimmy Takter, is the 3-1 second choice while Hayden Hanover is 4-1 from post one with Andy Miller driving for Julie Miller.

“It’s a who’s who of horses; it’s heavy hitters,” Zeron said. “It’s about as interesting as it gets. There are amazing horses in that race.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Last year, Lost In Time won five of nine races including the Metro Pace, Governor’s Cup, and a division of the International Stallion Stakes.

Last year, Lost In Time won five of nine races including the Metro Pace, Governor’s Cup, and a division of the International Stallion Stakes. He earned $608,112, which led all 2-year-old male pacers. The colt was trained by Jim Mulinix for most of the season before Mulinix turned the horse over to Takter for his final two races of the year.

Lost In Time enters Saturday’s race off two qualifiers. He finished fourth in the first, timed in 1:53.1 with a :25.4 last quarter-mile. He won the second, timed in 1:51 with a :26.3 final quarter.

“Those qualifiers, to me, were exactly what I was looking for,” Zeron said. “It’s nice to see the way he’s started this season. He’s come back great. There are a lot of similarities to last year, which is what you kind of want; the same horse with a little progression. That’s the way it’s felt.

“Mentally he’s gotten a little sharper. He’s always been nice to handle and he’s nice on himself. It’s like Jimmy has said, he’s a horse that likes to win. I don’t think he’s flashy on a day-to-day basis, but he enjoys racing. He’s easy to drive, so that makes it easy for me.”

Lost In Time is owned by Diamond Creek Racing, J&T Silva Stables, William Rufenacht, and Scott Robinson’s Team S Racing Stable. At February’s Dan Patch Award banquet, Robinson’s guests included professional wrestling legend Ric Flair, who was celebrating his 69th birthday. While accepting Lost In Time’s Dan Patch trophy, Robinson announced he was giving Flair an ownership percentage in the horse as a birthday present.

“I really hope this horse can deliver and be a real champion because (Flair) was very excited about being brought in on this horse,” Zeron said. “And it’s exciting to know that somebody that’s lived the life he’s lived is excited about a horse. It’s nice for everybody connected with it.”

In Saturday’s first Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division, Takter’s Grand Teton, a half-brother to three-time Dan Patch Award-winning mare Pure Country, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite. Kindergarten Series champion Points North is the 3-1 second choice.

The second division finds Chris Ryder’s stakes-winning This Is The Plan, who is 2-for-2 this year, as the 5-2 favorite followed by Dorsoduro Hanover at 3-1. The field also includes defending Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Pedro Hanover, who is 9-2 on the morning line.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Lost In Time will be making his 2018 debut on Saturday.

“Right now, everyone talks about Stay Hungry and Lost In Time, but there are other horses out there that were good last year,” Zeron said. “It’s the way every year starts out, you see at the beginning who comes to play. Maybe that will stamp your mark on the year.

“This Pocono race might be one that puts one ahead of the others, but in my eyes it really won’t. It’s just a step toward the North America Cup for me.”

The following Pennsylvania Sire Stakes starters Saturday are eligible to the North America Cup: Captain Deo, Closing Statement, Dorsoduro Hanover, Grand Teton, Hayden Hanover, Lost In Time, Nutcracker Sweet, Pedro Hanover, Points North, Pro Beach, Sometimesawinner, Stay Hungry, Wes Delight, and Whos Better.

Saturday’s card at Pocono also includes two divisions of the Great Northeast Open Series for older male pacers. In the first, Rockeyed Optimist is the 5-2 morning-line favorite over 3-1 Rockin Ron. In the second, Dr J Hanover is the 5-2 choice over 3-1 Mach It So.

Racing begins at 7:30 p.m. (EDT). For complete entries, click here.