Wilkes-Barre, PA — Twin B Thriller and Ooglesaurus are both two-for-two after four $17,500 divisions of the second preliminary of the Bobby Weiss Pacing Series for three-year-old males, conducted Saturday afternoon (April 11) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
The Always B Miki colt Twin B Thriller posted a shocking 1:49.4 clocking in his first Weiss prelim, and he had the same margin of victory, 1-3/4 lengths, after a 1:51.3 jaunt on Saturday. A early “stablemate” of his at the Twinbrook Limited nursery, Twin B Manhunt, rode in the pocket behind him and took second in a :55 back half behind the winner, driven by George Napolitano Jr. for trainer Dennis A Laterza and owners Ginko Stable Inc. and Latz A Luck Stable.
The Lazarus N gelding Ooglesaurus also doubled up in the Weiss, making a second move out of the pocket while dashing home in :27.1 in a 1:52.2 mile to catch favored Stingman by 1-1/4 lengths. Brett Beckwith had the lines for trainer Joe Bongiorno and Morrison Racing Stables.
The fastest of Saturday’s Weiss races, 1:51, saw the Perfect Sting gelding Thisbeestingsdeo break his maiden at 18-1. Matt Kakaley gave the Ron Burke trainee a nice third-in trip behind three sub-:28 quarters, then moved him out on the far turn and had enough late kick to thwart Pocono Pike shooter Justinian by a neck for Burke Racing Stable Inc., Lawrence Karr, Phil Collura, and Brad Grant.
Winning the other Weiss prelim, and taking a new mark of 1:52.1 in doing so, was the Stay Hungry gelding Northern Attitude, who benefitted from a pocket journey then had enough to turn back the fast-closing Hunthehuntr De Vie by a neck while pacing his own back half in :55.3. Ridge Warren drove for trainer Jake Leamon, who is also co-owner with Winners Circle Racing LLC.
In a $20,000 fast-class pace, Da Delightful showed he still has plenty of speed at age 10, the Bettor’s Delight gelding raising his lifetime bankroll to $601,983 after a 1:50.4 tally. Da Delightful was flying late after racing second-over to catch pacesetter Jackson Cooper by a half length for driver Braxten Boyd and trainer-owner Mark Silva.
“The BB Boys,” drivers Braxten Boyd and Brett Beckwith (the last two winners of USHWA’s Rising Star Award), combined to take down half of the 14 race card. Boyd won four times, twice for both trainers Mark Silva and Tee Wine, while Beckwith’s trio included two for the meet’s top trainer Per Engblom. Three drivers clad in red and white, the Napolitano brothers (Anthony and George Jr.) and Ridge Warren, each visited Victory Lane twice on the afternoon.
Pocono next races on Monday (April 13) at 1 p.m., when Weiss sophomore trotting males will find each of the three first-round winners looking to double up in the series. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.