by PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Wes Delight, who left the gate so quickly he lost his head number a couple of steps in, showed that having a few races under your girth can be an advantage as he defeated Lost In Time, Stay Hungry, Nutcracker Sweet, and Hayden Hanover in the featured division of the $166,015 second preliminary round of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts Saturday night (May 19) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Curtis Salonick photo

I’m A Big Deal takes his division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes conducted at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday evening.

Corey Callahan had the victorious son of Bettor’s Delight getting the lead early, then yielding to the 3-2 favorite Stay Hungry before the :26.4 quarter, with Hayden Hanover, 8-5 Lost In Time, and Nutcracker Sweet filling the next three spots. As Stay Hungry got to the half in a moderate :55.4, Lost In Time came first-over, with Nutcracker Sweet on his back – and the real race was on.

As they passed the three-quarter marker in 1:23.2, Lost In Time fell back a little and Stay Hungry maintained the advantage, with Wes Delight lurking in the pocket then pulling out for the drive to the wire. Halfway through the lane Stay Hungry looked to have a good chance, but he got a bit weary late and Wes Delight took his measure. He then held off the game and resurgent Lost In Time by a nose in 1:50.4 to take a new mark. Stay Hungry was beaten only a neck, with Nutcracker Sweet and Hayden Hanover getting the last two checks.

This was the biggest win of the young career of Wes Delight, who boosted his bankroll to $192,573. Mark Harder trains the developing sophomore and he shares ownership with Rick Phillips and Rachel Frost. It’s was Wes Delight’s third win from four seasonal starts.

The $300,000 yearling I’m A Big Deal, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the world champion Big Mcdeal, got the evening off to a flying start in his section. He went to the lead, yielded briefly, then retook position while posting fractions of :26.2, :54.4 and 1:21.3. By the last-named number, he had opened up by a decisive lead and finished out his mile in 1:50.2. y He won by 6-1/2 lengths ahead to take a new mark. George Napolitano Jr. had the sulky duty for trainer Chris Ryder, who is also co-owner with Craig Henderson and Robert Mondillo.

In the other division, the crowd thought the Ryder barn would add a second sire stakes victory with This Is The Plan, a winner in the first PaSS prelim, but it was the other first-round winner, Dorsoduro Hanover, who came on again in the stretch to post a neck victory in a lifetime best 1:50.1. This was also the fastest clocking of the three divisions.

Matt Kakaley, in his first night back in action after a mid-March racing accident, sent the Ron Burke trainee to the lead before the :27 quarter, then sat behind This Is The Plan through midfractions of :55.3 and 1:22.4. The pacesetter dug in through the lane, but the pocketsitter proved stronger in the Pocono Pike, remaining undefeated in two 2018 starts and raising his bankroll to $145,168 for Burke Racing Stable LLC; Silva, Purnel & Libby; Weaver Bruscemi LLC; and Wingfield Five LLC.

There were also two $30,000 divisions of the Great Northeast Open Series for Open pacers. In one, Mach It So equaled the fastest clocking on a five-eighths mile track this year with a 1:49 victory for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Jeff Bamond Jr., and Bamond Racing LLC. Mach It So left side-by-side with Dr J Hanover, let that one take the top before the hot :26 quarter, then removed to the lead, hit the half in :54.1, then opened up a sizable lead with a :26.4 quarter to trip the third timer in 1:21. The Mach Three gelding still had a big lead as far as midstretch, but both his early exertions and rapid closer Bettor’s Edge were catching up to him. However, Mach It So held on by a half-length.

In the other Great Northeast division, Rockin Ron became a two-time Great Northeast winner, holding off the determined Rockeyed Optimist by a nose in 1:50.2. Kakaley put the Real Desire gelding on top and set fractions of :26.3, :55.1, and 1:22.4 and in early stretch the pair had opened up two lengths. Rockeyed Optimist, however, who was first-over, came back on with great gameness only to just get photoed out. Maxdaddy Blue Chip came from way out of it to miss it all by a neck behind the $1,151,107 winner, trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, RTC Stables Inc., and J&T Silva Stables LLC.

Finally, Walks Of Life, the winningest horse in North America this year with 12, could not add a 13th triumph, but he certainly tried very hard in the $20,000/$25,000 claiming handicap. He passed the poles in :26.1, :54.2, and 1:22.2, with Legion Of Boom pressing him early and Corner Con Artist having the lead most of the backstretch first-over. Walks Of Life shook off the first-over charge, but could not keep pocket rocket Legion Of Boom at bay, dropping a half-length decision to that one.

Driven by Anthony Napolitano for trainer Joe Pavia Jr. and the partnership of John Whitig, Michael Rich, Lawrence Chimerine, and Jeffrey Hess, Walks of Life was claimed for the ninth straight start and Legion Of Boom will be changing barns as well.