Wilkes-Barre, PA — Allywag Hanover was a repeat winner in the $100,000 Always B Miki Pace for older stars during Sun Stakes Saturday (August 20) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with Todd McCarthy in his usual perch behind last year’s divisional champion – while Todd’s brother Andrew accounted for the $100,000 Sebastian K S Trot, the companion event, in an impressive 1:51.

Allywag Hanover sat just off the pace before closing to win the $100,000 Always B Miki Invitational at the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Curtis Salonick Photo.

Allywag Hanover, a Captaintreacherous gelding owned by Allywag Stable, left from post four and turned loose American Courage (Matt Kakaley), who left just outside him, not that long before a :25.2 opening stanza. The third fast early starter was Ruthless Hanover, from post eight, but after going three-wide the first three-sixteenths, he could not make the lead or the pocket, and was doomed to taking the air through fractions of :54 and 1:21.2. After those fractions anybody would melt off, and the last eighth became a stout battle between American Courage and Allywag Hanover, with “Allywag” finding the extra gear to gain into the :27 kicker and turn back his game foe by a length.

After the race trainer Brett Pelling noted that “this is really his ideal trip – second-in, third-in, chasing after someone. I’d rather have him with someone to pace to than be on the lead.” Pelling indicated the horse’s near-future itinerary included stops at Dayton, Hoosier, and The Red Mile.

The Trixton four-year-old stallion Cuatro De Julio was just about as impressive a winner as anybody in the Sebastian K S, leaving behind two millionaire mares, Bella Bellini (Dexter Dunn) and When Dovescry (David Miller), and other tough opponents by moving at the :27.1 quarter and getting the lead, posting midsplits of :55.3 and 1:23.2 before finishing the mile two lengths ahead of two-holer Hillexotic (Yanick Gingras).

Cuatro De Julio’ effort gained further status when it is noted that his time was only two-fifths of a second off the divisional world record set here by Uncle Peter in 2013, and a stake mark. Trainer Marie Ortolan Bar, co-owner with D Farm LLC, kept up her streak of being the happiest person in the winners circle after her prized trotter won.