from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Five $20,000 divisions of the first leg of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings were featured Monday night (May 23) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and the fastest winner was I’m Some Graduate, a royally-bred colt who won his seasonal debut in 1:51.3.

When you have a world champion pedigree (Somebeachsomewhere out of Western Graduate) you start life with advantages and I’m Some Graduate showed those advantages last year He began his career with two wins, stepped up to the Sire Stakes level and was second, then won a Sire Stake and the Sire Stakes consolation, the latter with two moves in 1:50.3. He was odds-on in two Grand Circuit events at The Red Mile Grand Circuit, but caught off tracks both weeks and was off the board twice, and then had been laid off until Tuesday’s race.

Curtis Salonick photo

I’m Some Graduate was a narrow winner for Tim Tetrick.

I’m Some Graduate, driven by Tim Tetrick for trainer Thomas Cancelliere and owner John Cancelliere, came home in :27 on the engine to take his 2016 debut, but he didn’t have it easy by any means. A Dragon Again gelding, sold for $14,000 as a yearling and still eligible to non-winners of two named Doubleshottahott lived up to his moniker this night, coming out of the pocket to extend I’m Some Graduate fully to win by a head. Still, a win is a win, and a good building block to start the season for a horse who seems to have a world of potential.

Driver Andrew McCarthy captured two of the Stallion divisions, and after four non-favorites started off the features (even I’m Some Graduate was an 8-5 second choice), he got a chalk home in the final division in the form of Duke Of Delray, a Yankee Cruiser colt who rallied up the famed Pocono Pike to catch pacesetting Don McWhite by a neck in 1:53, with Chris Ryder handling the training for owner/co-breeder Shelby Novick.

McCarthy’s other Stallion Series win was a bit easier, as he put the Well Said gelding Senator Charlie on the lead in front of the stands for the first time and the sophomore took it from there, stepping home in 1:53/:27.3 to be 1-1/4 lengths clear of Good Living on the money for trainer Mark Harder and owner/breeder Fox Hollow Farm.

Driver Jim Morand, one of only 18 drivers to have 9,000 or more career victories, got his first winning drive at Pocono in more than 18 years when he steered the Les Givens trainee Power Of A Cruiser to a 1:53 head victory over Littleoffthetop. Morand waited patiently inside until he could move out behind the cover of Littleoffthetop, then ran that talented foe down in the shadow of the wire for owner/breeder Michael Horsey.

George Napolitano Jr., the track’s all-time leading driver, guided Stone Fire Hanover to a new mark of 1:52.3, using the Pocono Pike to win by a half-length in a contest that saw the top six finishers bunched within a length at the finish. The Dragon Again gelding came from The Meadows to win for trainer Randy Bendis, who shares ownership in the sophomore with Thomas Pollack.

Napolitano had five winners on the Monday card, giving him 13 at Pocono for the Saturday-Monday period.