by PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — There were no repeat winners in the second preliminary leg of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) action for 3-year-old trotting colts Saturday (June 10) night at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but three new shooters in Dover Dan, Rubio and Giveitgasandgo, thrust themselves into the upper reaches of the divisional rankings with impressive successes. in their respective $48,077 PASS divisions.

Curtis Saloninck photo

Dover Dan establishes a new lifetime mark of 1:52.4 with his victory in PASS action at Pocono on Saturday.

Dover Dan, a son of Andover Hall out of the immortal CR Kay Suzie showed some of the potency in his veins by swinging wide on the final turn and then drawing off through the lane to a 2-1/2 length victory over favored Moonshiner Hanover in 1:52.4. It was a new lifetime mark for the John Butenschoen trainee. Corey Callahan did the driving for owners William Wiswell, Jean Goehlen, and Eugene Schick.

Callahan/Butenschoen accounted for another Sire Stakes winner, also timed in 1:52.4 for a personal record, although calling him a new shooter is admittedly a stretch. But the Yankee Glide ridgling Giveitgasandgo, the 2016 divisional Sire Stakes champion, had only two seconds in as many seasonal starts coming up to the race. However, he showed himself on the improve, stepping home in :55.2 to hold off pocket-sitting favorite President Lindy by 1-1/4 lengths. The win boosted his career earnings to over $300,000 for the partnership of Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc., David Miller, Lawrence Means, and VIP Internet Stable LLC.

Rubio, a Cantab Hall colt, was prepared excellently for his seasonal debut by trainer Jimmy Takter and then the Hall of Famer finished the job off by guiding the horse. The duo went first-over the last three-eighths yet still grinded down pacesetter Muscles Jared by a length, taking a new mark of 1:53.1. Heavy favorite Sortie, a Sire Stakes and Currier and Ives winner in his only seasonal starts, made a break moving to the lead in front of the stands, but Rubio, third as the favorite in the Peter Haughton last year, would have been a tough foe to contend with in any event as he circled the first Saturday in August by winning for owner Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, and Brixton Medical Inc.

In a $25,000 winners-over pace, 1-5 favorite Blood Brother watched as Dream Out Loud N put Betting Exchange behind him early, moved at the :26.3 quarter to the lead, posted middle splits of :55.1 and 1:23, then held off a foe to each side nearing the wire for a 1:50.1 victory. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding, who now has earnings of $162,250 this year and $610,413 lifetime for owners D’Elegance Stable IX, Charles Iannacone, T L P Stables and P T Stable, was the fourth winner of the evening at The Downs for driver Jason Bartlett. Bartlett is the leading money-winner among drivers in North America and trainer Richard Banca, who enjoyed his second successful pairing with Bartlett on the night. Dream Out Loud N narrowed in late but was a neck behind the winner, while Betting Exchange took the inner route for third, a further half-length back.