Wilkes-Barre, PA — Southwind Tyrion won Saturday’s $100,000 Sebastian K Invitational for older trotters by 1-1/2 lengths over Hillexotic in 1:50.4 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. On Higher Ground finished third.

Southwind Tyrion won Saturday’s $100,000 Sebastian K Invitational for older trotters in 1:50.4. Curtis Salonick photo.

Hillexotic took the lead following a first-turn battle with Southwind Tyrion on the way to a :26.4 opening quarter. He remained on top through a :55.4 half and reached three-quarters in 1:23.2 before Southwind Tyrion and trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt made their move and pulled away from the field down the stretch.

Southwind Tyrion is a 5-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Taylor Jean owned by S R F Stable, Ake Svanstedt Inc., Knutsson Trotting Inc., and Brittany Farms & Riverview. The Southwind Farms-bred stallion has won three of six races this season and 11 of 19 in his career, good for $441,123 in purses.

“He had a problem when he was (age) 2 and then didn’t race at 3 because he had problems again, so we took it easy and waited until he was done with growing,” Svanstedt said. “He had a lot of growth issues. But now he is good. He is starting to fulfill his potential.”

Svanstedt trained and drove Sebastian K S, the world-record-setting trotter honored by the invitational.

Southwind Tyrion, the 1-2 favorite, paid $3 to win.

— Derick Giwner also contributed to this story