Wilkes-Barre, PA — Just as in the Bobby Weiss Series preliminaries for males, where only trotter Confident Volo swept all three preliminary legs, so the case proved to be in Tuesday’s (April 21) $17,500 third-round events of both Weiss series for females, as 3-year-old trotting filly Concise scored her third preliminary win with a 1:55.3 performance at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
Tim Tetrick got the daughter of Gimpanzee to the lead just past the quarter, backed off the middle half, then dashed home 1-1/4 lengths better than pocket-sitting Nightcap Mearas S while equaling the mark she set in the middle prelim. Nik Drennan trains the winner of four of five races lifetime for his Drennan Stables LLC, Joseph Davino and Brad Shackman.
The other two trots were won by the second and third choice in their respective races, even though neither paid over $5.60. The Captain Corey miss I Take The Care was the fastest Weiss trotter Tuesday, brushing from fifth to the lead in a :27.1 second quarter, then defeating Chestnut Kelly by three-quarters of a length while breaking her maiden in 1:54.4. George Napolitano Jr. gave his charge an aggressive drive and made it pay off for trainer Blake MacIntosh and Hutt Racing Stable.
The other trot went to the Chapter Seven filly Aviatrix Hanover, who overcame post 8 and survived an inquiry to win for the second straight time in the Weiss. Aviatrix Hanover, the 9-5 third choice, recorded a 1:56 clocking while winning for driver Jason Bartlett, trained Jared Bako, and Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc.
There were two divisions of the pace, with the Bettor’s Wish miss Miss Jum Jabber, who skipped the second prelim, posting bookending wins after her two-move, 1:52 score. Andrew McCarthy was in the sulky behind the heavy favorite for trainer Brett Pelling and his Pelling Racing LLC.
The Sweet Lou filly Sicerto progressed in the Weiss from a sixth to a third to a win in the other pacing event, coming from fifth at the stretch call to catch favorite Vanna By The River by a neck while lowering her record to 1:52.1. Tim Tetrick secured this pacing win to match his Weiss trotting score, and the 6-1 shot has now won half of her six lifetime starts for trainer Michael Hall and the partnership of CTC Stable, KDP Stable LLC, and Manklin Creek LLC.
George Napolitano Jr. won three of the last four races to end the day with four wins and sulky honors. The other Weiss winning drivers had doubles: Jason Bartlett, Andrew McCarthy and Tim Tetrick. Driver Braxten Boyd also had a two-bagger, as did trainer Brett Pelling.
The Weiss preliminaries are now finished; the 3-year-olds will have $50,000 finals, plus whatever $20,000 consolations will fill, on the following schedule: pacing colts on the track’s next card, Saturday (April 25); trotting colts the following Monday (April 27), and fillies on both gaits on Tuesday (April 28).
Saturday’s card also features a $20,000 Weiss consolation, a $27,500 fast-class pace, and a carryover into the Hi-5, offered in the finale. Post time for next week’s cards is 1 p.m. every day. Free Pocono pages are or will be available at phha.org.