by PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — There were three divisions of the $171,290 second preliminary leg of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday night (May 26), with the fastest trotting mile of the year in North America (1:51.4) on a five-eights mile track, posted by the Andover Hall colt, Evaluate, which lowered his mark by more than three seconds. Whats The Word and You Know You Do were also winners in their respective divisions.

Curtis Salonick photo

You Know You Do records a lifetime mark of 1:53.2 in PASS action at Pocono on Saturday.

Driver Corey Callahan kept Evaluate in third behind a contested pace (:27.3, :55.4), then moved him uncovered to challenge favored Captain Morgan, But Evaluate proved strong in the stretch, despite the raw overland journey, going by in a quarter-length; his lifetime record to 6-3-3-0 for trainer Marcus Melander and Stall TZ Inc.

Callahan won a second Sire Stakes division with Whats The Word, who ran his record to 3-for-3 with trotting hopples and 2-for-2 in 2018 Sire Stakes while recording a personal best of 1:53.2. The Cantab Hall gelding brushed to command in front of the stands, then came home in to be well clear at the wire for trainer Janice Connor, also co-owner with the Arden Homestead Stable.

The third winner in Sire Stakes competition is the best known of the three. The Muscle Hill colt and 2017 Peter Haughton winner You Know You Do. He also posted a lifetime record of 1:53.2. The $350,000 yearling, making his seasonal debut after earning almost $375,000 at age two, brushed to the lead under the wire the first time for driver Yannick Gingras, then stepped home in :56.2 on his own, hinting at being on the edge of another fine season for trainer Jimmy Takter and owners Howard Taylor, the Order By Stable, Bud Hatfield, and Mkatz Alibfeld Sgoldband.

In the featured pace for older horses, worth $21,500, Lawrencetown Beach was involved in a searing half, yet still had enough to rally out of the pocket to nose out closing Maxdaddy Blue Chip in 1:49 – a new mark which also equals the fastest mile of the year in North America on a five-eighths mile track. After leaving in a :26.2 quarter then pushing a foe to a 53.2 half, the Somebeachsomewhere gelding sat patiently in the pocket past the three-quarter pole, came out at headstretch and paced to the lead. He then just photoed the charging Maxdaddy Blue Chip for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Ron Burke, and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, M1 Stable LLC, and Phil Collura.

And it wouldn’t be Saturday night without a mention of Walks Of Life, who reclaimed the clear title as winningest harness horse in North America this year with his 13th triumph of 2018 The fast and game Walks Of Life, an altered son of Western Ideal, took a new mark of 1:50.4 as he ran his 2018 scorecard to 19-13-5-1-$79,222, and changed hands for the 10th straight start via claim. Driver George Napolitano Jr. who won six races on the night and trainer Hunter Oakes, the hottest team at Pocono, along with owner Northfork Racing Stable, were the winning connections behind the durable sidewheeler Saturday.