by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Bettor Be Steppin earned her second stakes win of the season at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, capturing Saturday’s (Aug. 22) $350,000 Valley Forge for 3-year-old female pacers in a lifetime-best 1:50.

Momas Got A Gun was second, beaten by three-quarters of a length, while Sassa Hanover finished third and Totally Rusty was fourth.

Curtis Salonick photo

Bettor Be Steppin captured the Valley Forge for 3-year-old female pacers in a lifetime best 1:50 on Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

In July, Bettor Be Steppin (Bettor’s Delight-Two Steppin’ Sally) and driver Corey Callahan won the Lynch Memorial at Pocono. She won that night at odds of 15-1, but was the even-money favorite Saturday in the Valley Forge.

Bettor Be Steppin, who started from post four, went to the front at the start and never looked back. She led the field through fractions of :26.3, :55.4, and 1:22.4. She held off a first-over attack from Sassa Hanover on the backstretch and Momas Got A Gun in the stretch.

Morning line favorite Moonlit Dance was scratched.

“I drew in a good spot and with Moonlit Dance not being in the race I was hoping I would be able to control it,” Callahan said. “She likes to leave and everything worked out perfectly.

“I figured if I could get a little breather in there anywhere she would be ready to take on all challengers. So it worked out. She’s been battling it out with Sassa (Hanover) for the last two years. I figured I had her put away up the backside so the only horse I was worried about at that point was the horse on my back (Momas Got A Gun).”

Bettor Be Steppin, trained by Joe Holloway, has won five of 11 races this year and earned $419,150. She has won nine of 23 races lifetime for owners Val D’Or Farms, Rojan Stables, and Ted Gewertz. She pushed her career earnings to $717,793.

Valley Forge Consolations

Single Me, who missed just a nose in the Lynch final here earlier this year, came out of the pocket at headstretch and drew off in the lane for a 1-3/4 length victory in the $150,000 Consolation I in 1:51, a career mark.

But it was a move that driver Andy Miller didn’t make — a threatened quarter-move — that caused Ideal Nuggets to park Seeking Nirvana in a brutal fight through fast numbers, easing the way for the late winning move of the Bettor’s Delight filly, trained by Ross Croghan for Dana Parham and the Let It Ride Stables Inc.

The Art Major filly Invest In Art was the fourth — and final — lead change in the $75,000 Consolation II, and despite the hard usage in the furious :53.4 first half, driver Tim Tetrick kept her alive in the lane to withstand Strut My Stuff (leader one) and Southwind Roulette (leader three) while taking a 1:49.3 new speed badge, which also rewrote the national season’s mark.

The Ontario-based team of trainer Mark Steacy and owners Stan Klemencic, David Reid, David McDonald, and Landmark 7 Racing Stable saw their filly win her stateside debut.

— PHHA/Pocono also contributed to this report