Wilkes-Barre, PA — Two longshot daughters of Papi Rob Hanover used speedy tactics to post clear wins in their respective divisions of three $30,000 Pennsylvania All-Stars races for 2-year-old pacing fillies during the Sunday (July 12) twilight card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. The other cut was won by the favorite, a daughter of Captaintreacherous who came from behind to win by the smallest possible margin.
Faster of the two “Papi Rob” All-Stars winners was Aestas (dam Air Miles Hanover), coming off a Stallion Series win but still dismissed at 10-1. Corey Callahan, perhaps noting the tendency for front enders to do warm on the warmish evening, sent Aestas right to the point and put down fractions of :28.3, :57.2, and 1:25.1 before getting a :27 last quarter from her. She lowered her speed badge to 1:52.1 while holding off Sister Girl Blues by 1-1/4 lengths. Steve LeBlanc trains the winner for Glenn Dyke.
Fauvette Hanover (dam Fashion Ecstasy) started from the rail and kept adding “1”s to her charted line behind her post, with splits of :27.4, :57.1, and 1:25 preceding her 1:52.4 maiden victory. Iwillalwayslouvelou was 1-1/4-lengths behind the 9-2 winner, who was driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer Britney Dillon, also co-owner with William Hartt.
Loyal To The End (Captaintreacherous – Lifetime Trust) was game to the end to let the chalkplayers escape with some dignity, coming first-over and then just beating out Pocono Pike-shooting Positive Process by a nose in 1:53. Fractions in this race were :28, :58, and 1:25.4; Loyal To The End paced her own last quarter in :26.4 to keep her perfect in two purse starts (a Stallion Series win preceded this one). Andrew McCarthy sulkysat for trainer Noel Daley and the partnership of Let It Ride Stables Inc., Jesmeral Stable, Hutchison Harness LLC and CT Stables LLC.
The pacing stakes fillies’ trotting counterparts also put on a show, with the baby Chapter Seven – Plunge Blue Chip filly Kountry Plunge setting the pace then speeding home in :56 – :27.2 to defeat a game rival, Secret Lover, by a neck in 1:54.1. Both fillies were making their betting bows after winning two qualifiers, and both have promising futures. Kountry Plunge is trained and driven by Åke Svanstedt, and she is owned by OBM Stable, Svanstedt & Midnight Sun, Bender Sweden Inc. and Ecurie Diocles AB.
Tyler Buter and Anthony Napolitano, 1-2 in the Pocono sulky derby, were the only horsemen having multiple victories, with Buter tallying three times and “ANap” winning twice.
Three levels of fast-class trotters will be the features on Monday’s (July 13) 1 p.m. card at Pocono, with the $27,500 handicap headliner marking the return of 2025 Hambletonian winner Nordic Catcher S, who has not raced since that triumph last August 2; among the “welcoming committee” will be Dame Good Time, winner of five of his last six including a world record 1:50.2 mile at Philly. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.