by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Pinkman rebounded from his first loss of the year by posting a gate-to-wire win in Saturday’s (July 4) $500,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters, holding off stablemate Uncle Lasse by a head in a world-record 1:51.3 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Curtis Salonick photo

Pinkman held off Uncle Lasse by a head to win the Beal in a world-record mile of 1:51.3.

Pinkman, last year’s Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old male trotter, and driver Yannick Gingras got the lead with a :27.1 opening quarter-mile and then controlled the race from there, going to the half in :56.2. Centurion ATM made a first-over bid on the backstretch, getting within a head of the leader, but was unable to get to the front.

In the stretch, the Jimmy Takter-trained Pinkman held off Uncle Lasse to his inside to post his fourth victory in five starts this season. Pinkman’s time was the fastest-ever mile by a 3-year-old gelding trotter on a five-eighths-mile track.

Crazy Wow finished third followed by Centurion ATM.

Last week, Pinkman finished second to Wicker Hanover in his Beal elimination and was found to be sick.

“I can’t complain about the trip, the fractions, everything went his way,” Gingras said about Pinkman’s performance in the Beal final. “He’s got that intimidating speed; he can leave the gate so good. Last week leaving the gate I knew he wasn’t quite right because he didn’t leave the gate like he did today. Usually the first couple steps he just snaps right out.

“Today he was back to himself and I don’t even think he’s a hundred percent. I’d say last week he was 50 or 60 percent and he was probably like 90 today. I think Jimmy can get him even better than this.”

For his career, Pinkman has won 10 of 13 races and earned $924,300 for owners Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, Joyce McClelland, and Herb Liverman.

“I saw him open up at like 5-1 (odds) tonight and Crazy Wow was 3-5 or something,” Gingras said. “They’ve got to start giving him credit. He doesn’t do it flashy, he does it the way he did it today, but he gets it done. He’s a winner.”