Wilkes-Barre, PA — The John Simpson Sr. Memorial Stakes concluded their 2025 run at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Monday (Oct. 27), with two-year-old fillies featured: two $48,500 divisions of the Davidia Hanover for trotters and two $46.700 divisions of the Razzle Hanover for pacers. All eight Simpson stakes are named after a champion horse that the Hall of Fame had a large hand in during his Hall of Fame career.
Even with two-year-olds, it’s unusual to find a horse breaking her maiden in a stakes event, but the fastest division of both stakes went to a horse that had never won before. In the quicker Davidia Hanover section, Isabella Bi (Tactical Landing-Call Me Bi It) was very sharp even after 31 days off, the people’s choice recording a 1:54 mile for trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt while widening her lead throughout the last half to win by 3-1/2 lengths. Svanstedt’s Åke Svanstedt Inc. shares ownership of the fleet daughter of Tactical Landing – Call Me Bi IT with Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing and Little E LLC.
In the other section, Pocono had its fourth straight day of a $50+ horse winning, as the Bar Hopping – Cardinale distaff Sister Wine (Miller), benefiting by breaks from the three favorites before the eighth, overcame a two-move trip to defeat one of those breakers, Berry Good News (Tyler Buter), by a neck in a lifetime best 1:56.3 while paying $55.40. Tyler Miller drove the outsider to the win for trainer/mother Julie Miller and Willow Oak Racing LLC. (And despite being a Bar Hopping trotter who has six letters in her first name and “Wine” as a second name, her maternal pedigree does not immediately reveal any connections with a Breeders Crown-winning trotter this past weekend.)
There was the same maiden-as-fastest winner / longshot theme in the Razzle Hanover. Existential (Matt Kakaley), who had earned $115,935, mostly against good New York company, without winning, finally made the breakthrough on Monday in 1:53.1. The daughter of Huntsville – Frankie’s Dream won by 1-1/4 lengths for Kakaley, trainer Scott Di Domenico, and the ownership of Triple D Stables Inc., Philip Steinberg, and Michael Federeci.
The tote board upsetter on the pace was the Always B Miki – A Beach Cowgirl filly Sandyboots Hanover, who made good use of lively cover, then drew off to win by herself in a new mark of 1:53.3. Mike Wilder handled the catch-driving assignment from Pocono’s leading trainer Ron Burke (who usually doesn’t send out 18-1 shots) while notching the triumph for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Lawrence Karr, and Phil Collura.
Two-time winners on the card were drivers Simon Allard, Matt Kakaley, Anthony Napolitano, and Mike Wilder, along with trainer Adrian Wisher Sr.
The racing week at Pocono concludes with a 1 p.m. card on Tuesday, with carryovers entering and closing the card: the first race Pick 4, and the last race High 5. Next week the new “Winter Is Coming” series start, providing midweek features until the end of the year. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.