Wilkes-Barre, PA — There were three $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for two-year-old pacing fillies on the Sunday twilight card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, and all three of the winners scored in identical times of 1:53.4.
Two of the fillies were sired by the hot Papi Rob Hanover, and one of them recorded her second straight win in 1:53.4, so we’ll lead with her. That would be Call Me Angelita (Tim Tetrick), who was second in her purse debut while covering her own back half in :54.3, then won easily last week. Here driver Tetrick could sit third until the three-quarters, from where she made a wicked brush home to just get by the pacesetting Kissedbyastranger (Yannick Gingras) by a neck, coming her own back fractions in :55 – :26.3. Scott Di Domenico conditions the fleet filly for Triple D And Oompa Farm, Michael Rekoon, Craig Henderson, and Steve Stewart.
The other two winners were driven by three-time defending Pocono champion Matt Kakaley, and they both recorded maiden victories after debuting with a second in Sire Stakes competition. The daughter of Papi Rob Hanover with whom Matt won was Say Goodnight (Kakaley), who left and controlled all the fractions, stepping her back numbers in :55.3 – :27.2 while defeating Sandyboots Hanover (Gingras) by a length in winning for trainer Nicholas Devita and owners David Hamm and Glenn Philllips.
Kakaley also was in the sulky when the Captaintreacherous-Tica Hanover distaff Big Weekend got into a very fast gear down the backstretch to sweep to the lead into the stretch, then had enough to hold off a late burst from a weaving-for-room Joyful Hanover (Gingras) in a :28.1 last quarter. Travis Alexander trains the quick freshman for Fiddler’s Creek Stables LLC. Overall Kakaley had three winners on the program to top the Pocono colony for the day.
Gingras and trainer Ron Burke had a good stakes night even though they had to settle for second in all three All-Stars divisions.
Racing continues on Monday and Tuesday at Pocono Downs, with both cards scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.