by John Zimich, publicity director, Pocono Downs
Artbitration was up to the challenge Saturday night (June 12) in winning the $114,176 James M. Lynch Memorial Final at The Downs at Pocono. Time of the mile was 1:52.4.
Challenged throughout the mile, Patrick Berry gunned the three-year-old Artscape filly to the front from the six post, being challenged early on by Character Counts, piloted by Mike Simons.
The opening panel was clicked in 26.2 and Artbitration and Character Counts raced side by side with the latter on the outside. The two fillies were still battling to the half, timed in 54.3 with Character Counts parked on the outside.
Artbitration, owned by Thomas Klosky, Jr., Canonsburg, Pa., and Norm Parker, Houston, Pa., took the eight-horse field to the three-quarters in 1:23.3 before widening out her lead coming down the stretch.
“She was pressured throughout the race and still drew away at the end of the mile,” said a happy Parker, who also trains the winning Lynch horse. “April was a blow-up month for her with those female and hormonal problems. But she has overcome them and really has come around physically.
“There’s no doubt about she’s tough mentally, concluded Parker.”
Berry said he was thinking about letting Character Counts go and then retake but changed his mind.
“I choked her down a little bit in winning that elimination race wire to wire last week,” offered Berry. “I didn’t want that to happen this week. She’s just too good and tough to beat. She overcame a big trip.”
West Coast Arturo (George Napolitano, Jr.) was second in the Lynch finals; three lengths back with third going to JK Matchmaker (Kevin Sizer).
The 1:52.4 equaled the lifetime mark of Artbitration, now a winner of three straight.
Next up for the 2004 Lynch victor will be the American Nationals in Chicago.