from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — The first stake of the year on the local scene for 2-year-olds, a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for pacing colts, was raced in four $30,000 divisions Sunday night (June 26) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with favored horses, sire Sombeachsomewhere, and driver Yannick Gingras taking three of the four contests, and trainer Ron Burke notching a double.

Curtis Salonick photo

Filibuster Hanover was a 1:53.2 winner for driver Yannick Gingras.

The intersection of Gingras, Somebeachsomewhere, Burke, and the only non-chalk winner produced the fastest winning time, as Filibuster Hanover rallied out of the pocket into back fractions of :55.4–:27 to go by pacesetter Huntsville by a length in 1:53.2. The son of Somebeachsomewhere out of Fashion Ecstasy (a half-sister to Gallie Bythe Beach, both out of the great race mare Galleria) won for Burke Racing Stable, JT45, Joseph Di Scala Jr., and Weaver Bruscemi in his first purse start, which was the common element uniting all four winners.

The other winner of the Burke Brigade, also handled by Gingras, was another son of Somebeachsomwhere (this one out of the million-dollar winning mare Symphony In Motion), Normandy Beach. The triumphant colt stormed to the lead first time in the homestretch, then came home in :55.4 to fend off the pocketrallier Boogie Shuffle by a neck in 1:54.4 for owner William Donovan.

The third stakes triumph of the night for Yannick Gingras came with the one horse who technically did not take a new personal best, the Western Ideal-Ante Fay colt Western Joe, who also moved early and then came home in :55.3–:27.2 to tally in 1:55, which equaled the time he posted in a qualifier eight days earlier, two lengths ahead of Fear The Dragon. Chris Choate handles the conditioning of the winner for owner/breeder Anthony Ruggeri.

Driver David Miller and trainer Brian Brown had the third Somebeachsomewhere colt to return to the winner’s circle, Downbytheseaside. The winning freshman got away fifth from post eight, made the frequent Pocono winning move of a second quarter brush, then hung a giant closing quarter of :26.4 on the board to complete the mile in 1:55.1, 1-3/4 lengths ahead of earlier leader Mac’s Jackpot, for Country Club Acres Inc., Joe Sbrocco, and Richard Lombardo.

Five divisions of 2-year-old trotting fillies are gathered for a PA All-Stars event that will headline the Monday card at The Downs.