Wilkes-Barre, PA — A good helping of pedigree – both equine and human – helped the winners of three $16,000 events for 2-year-olds at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on a cool but sunny Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 29).
The father/son team of trainer Brett Pelling and driver Jack Pelling took the two paces, one for each gait, with a pair of stakes-placed youngsters. History, a colt by Downbytheseaside out of Balance, a half-sister to millionaire two-time O’Brien winner L A Delight, showed a closing kick reminiscent of his stablemate, star sophomore filly Miss Jum Jabber, as he broke his maiden in 1:52.1 for Diamond Creek Racing. Sixth, four lengths behind, and inside at the three-quarters, History angled wide and flashed home in :27.2 to win by 1-1/2 lengths.
The victorious freshman pacing filly for the Pellings was Gift Of Faith, a daughter of Captaintreacherous out of Cannae Cammie, a three-quarter sister to the $2.4 million winner Test Of Faith. Gift Of Faith took over the racetrack by the quarter and stopped home in :28.2 to capture her first race in 1:54.2 for David McDuffee, Paul Bordogna and Melvin Hartman.
Another father/son duo – trainer Chris Ryder and driver Patrick Ryder – accounted for the sole trotting feature, for females, with Andersson Hanover, by the white-hot sire Captain Corey out of Angel Eyes Hanover, a half-sister to the exported $700,000 winner Ambassador Hanover. Andersson Hanover, second in her Pennsylvania Stallion Series championship, regained the lead at the half and won in 1:57.4, now giving her three wins and three second-place finishes in six starts for owner John McKeon Jr.
Braxten Boyd led all drivers with three victories. Team Pelling, as mentioned, and Team Ryder, who also combined on an overnight winner, each had two victories per generation. Other drivers doubling up were meet leader Tyler Buter, Anthony Napolitano (giving him eight wins in the three-day racing week) and Ridge Warren.
Pocono opens its October action on Saturday (Oct. 3) at 1 p.m., with several of the highest levels of fast-class veteran pacers being brought together. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.