Wilkes-Barre, PA — Father-son training and driving teams accounted for half of the six $20,000 first-round divisions of the Bobby Weiss Series for 3-year-old male pacers on a warm Saturday afternoon (March 29) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
The fastest mile was turned in by World Of Wishes and the team of trainer Chris Ryder and driver Patrick Ryder, as the Bettor’s Wish gelding turned in a tough maiden-breaking win, stopping the clock in 1:51. World Of Wishes, owned by Philip Steinberg, pushed the two favorites well past a :26.4 opening quarter before yielding to both and coming right back uncovered nearing the :55.1 half. On a day where the wind gave horses a push up the backstretch, World Of Wishes reclaimed command with a :26.4 brush, passing by three-quarters in 1:22.2, and drew off late to win by three lengths at 10-1.
Even though he had the fastest mark in the field (1:53.2), another altered son of Bettor’s Wish, Cover The Spread, was allowed to go off at 40-1 in his seasonal bow. The pacer rallied from the two-hole to catch 12-1 Atta Boy Abe to win in 1:54.3 by a neck for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Todd Buter, and Oldfield Racing LLC.
Tyler went on to win two other Weiss divisions, one of them at 14-1 with the Betting Line gelding Flight In Motion, who overcame a first-over trip to lower his mark to 1:52 by beating Federer by a half length for trainer Eddie Dennis and the partnership of Mulligan Stables and Jason Johnson Inc. His other driving win was with one of the three Weiss favorites who won, the Captain Crunch gelding Captain Conan, who led at every call while breaking his maiden in 1:52.4 for trainer Robert Cleary and owner Robert Corrigan.
Trainer Brett Pelling and driver Jack Pelling were the third father-son pairing to visit Victory Lane, as the Papi Rob Hanover gelding Gold Glove Hanover reduced his mark to 1:52.1. He punched back tenaciously after being passed by brusher Jackson Cooper and achieving a head margin for Pelling Racing LLC while going his own back half in :54.4.
Also a Weiss winner was the only winning colt, Ooglesville, a son of Huntsville and a consistent horse in the NYSS at 2, making every pole a winning one in his return while recording his first race win in 1:53. Zip Time was a half length in back of the winner, who was driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer Per Engblom and Morrison Racing Stables.
Sub-1:50 winners on the card were Virgo, the fastest at 1:49.2 for driver Simon Allard, and a pair who took lifetime marks for driver Anthony Napolitano: Southwind Celsius (1:50) and Rose Run Zeke (1:49.3). Napolitano had five wins overall on the card, while Tyler Buter’s triple moved him to the top in the local seasonal standings.
Racing at the Downs will continue on Monday (March 31) and Tuesday (April 1) at 1 p.m.; Monday’s card will contain the first prelim of the Weiss Series for 3-year-old trotting males, along with a $1,309.22 Pick-5 carryover (races 5-9), while on Tuesday the $17,500 final of a Game Of Claims Pacing Series will go postward. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.