by John Zimich, publicity director, Pocono Downs

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Matty Ironstone, trained and driven by Howard Parker, hung tough and won the $16,550 final of the Spring Training Pace for fillies and mares on Tuesday night (April 27) at The Downs at Pocono.

Leaving from the six hole, Matty Ironstone was parked early on in the race with BP’s Silent Weapon (Claude Huckabone III) taking the nine horse field to the opening panel in :27⁴. Parker finally got to clear BP’s Weapon with the half clicked off in :56⁴.

Matty Ironstone, owned by Deborah Gramza of Angola, New York and Michael Rashkin of Hamburg, New York, had to hold off a hard charging She’s Way Cool, piloted by Mark Gingrich, and Scooter Belle (Marcus Johansson) in a photo finish. Time for the three-quarters was 1:26³ with the final time registering 1:57¹ on a fast track with rain falling.

This was the sixth win in 14 starts this season for the five-year-old Matt’s Scooter mare with two seconds and a third.

Ringside Rocket, a nine-year-old Giant Victory gelding trained and driven by Leah Vandervort, captured the $7,000 Open Handicap Trot, stopping the timer in 1:58. Close Encounter, driven by Kyle DiBenedetto and a ship-in from The Meadowlands, was second to Ringside Rocket, with third going to I’m Back (Howard Parker).

Robert W. Harper and William C. Vandervort, Jr., both of New Jersey, own Ringside Rocket, a winner of three of 12 starts this season with three seconds and two thirds.