Apr 4, 2014 | Racing
April 1, 2014
R Journey Together, Envious Hanover, and Stucklikeglue captured divisions of the Bobby Weiss Series on Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, all with career-best times. There were three Weiss divisions held for three and four-year-old fillies and mares on the pace, each carrying a purse of $15,000.
R Journey together (Western Ideal-R Xample) put herself at two-for-two for the series, controlling the pace in the first division, with George Napolitano Jr. in the bike for trainer Lou Pena, to win in 1:53:3. Envious Hanover (Western Ideal-Eicarls Olvidar), driven by Matt Kakaley for trainer Ron Burke, held off pressure on both sides to pick up the win in the second split, her second straight in the series, in 1:52:2. In the final division, Kakaley and Burke doubled up with Meadows shipper Stucklikeglue (Dragon Again-Ruth Plumsted), who went gate-to-wire in 1:52:4.
Mar 24, 2014 | Racing
March 23, 2014
Sixteen Mikes, Ray Hall, and Time To Quit picked up wins in the first leg of the Bobby Weiss Series on Sunday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Each of the three divisions of the series, which included three and four-year-old trotting colts, stallions, and geldings, carried a purse of $15,000.
Sixteen Mikes, driven by Mike Simons and trained by Gail Wrubel, scored in the first division as the 2-1 second choice in 1:56:3. In the second split, Ray Hall, with Tim Tetrick in the bike for trainer Mark Harder, controlled matters as the 1-5 favorite in 1:55.3. 1-9 favorite Time To Quit, piloted by Matt Kakaley for trainer Ron Burke, rolled in the final division in 1:56:4.
Jun 23, 2013 | Racing
June 19, 2013
Jim Morrill Jr. is the leading driver at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Chris Oakes has been the best Pocono-based trainer on the national scene for about a decade now. On Wednesday night at Pocono, they turned the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes into their own personal playground.
The driver/trainer combo swept the three Sire Stakes divisions held for three-year-old trotting fillies behind standout performances from Lady Broadway, Frau Blucher, and Classic Martine. Each of the three divisions carried a purse of $77,790.
In the first split, Lady Broadway (Broadway Hall-Lady SJ) made the front end on the front stretch and survived a tight stretch scare from the fast-closing pair of True Valentine and Drink The Wine, who finished second and third respectively. The filly, owned by Susan Oakes, Conrad Zurich, and Hauser Brothers Racing Enterprises, won by a half-length in 1:55:2. She now has three straight wins including two in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes competition.
Frau Blucher (Broadway Hall-My Angel) put on a show in the second Sire Stakes division with a scorching winning time of 1:52:3. Morrill guided her first-over to the lead on the back stretch and she rolled from there for a 1 ¾-length win over Coffeecake Hanover, with Curtsy Hanover picking up the show. Owned by Hauser Brothers, J&T Silva Stables, and Matt Tudisco, Frau Blucher is now a perfect three-for-three in 2013, with all of the victories coming in Sire Stakes competition.
In the final split, Classic Martine (Classic Photo-Drinking Days), who was making her first start for the Oakes barn, won a thrilling stretch battle with the game Royal Assets, prevailing by three-quarters of a length in 1:53:1. Chiptomylou finished further back in third. Owned by Hauser Brothers, Zurich, and Earl Gold, Classic Martine was making her first start at Pocono since winning the Weiss Series back in May. She now has five wins in eight races this season.
Apr 24, 2013 | Racing
April 23, 2013
Jerseylicious won a showdown with Shebestingin to capture the final of the Bobby Weiss Series for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried a purse of $30,000.
Jerseylicious (Western Ideal-Jet Lag N) came into the race unbeaten in seven 2013 races, while Shebestingin had never lost in five career starts. Jerseylicious had a post position edge in the #5 hole, while Shebestingin had to work hard from the outside #9 post to make the early lead. Driver Corey Callahan let Jerseylicious relax in the pocket before sending him outside for the stretch drive and nipping a game Shebestingin by a neck in 1:50:4. O Narutac Rockette finished 3rd.
Owned by Pamela Curran and Legacy Racing of Delaware and trained by Wayne Givens, Jerseylicious now has wins in nine of 15 career starts with lifetime earnings of $248,406.
Apr 24, 2013 | Racing
April 20, 2013
Twincreeks Jesse put forth a tremendous effort on the front end to capture the final of the Bobby Weiss Series for 3-year-old colts and geldings on the pace on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried a purse of $30,000.
Twincreeks Jesse (Real Artist-Happy Ginny), who left from post position #3 in a field of eight as the 9-5 second choice, got away well and sat second early behind Deep Sea Hanover. Driver George Napoiltano Jr. wanted to control matters though, so he sent the 3-year-old gelding owned and trained by Ann DePietro to the lead on the front stretch. When the outside pressure wasn’t able to get to him, Twincreeks Jesse had to hold off a late second move from Deep Sea Hanover to win by a neck in 1:51:4. Lets Rock Together picked up the show.
Twincreeks Jesse notched his third consecutive win and fourth in seven tries this year. He now has five lifetime victories and career earnings of $50,440.
