May 14, 2013 | Racing
May 12, 2013
Camille outdueled Feeling You in a rematch of the rivalry they recently stoked at Yonkers, winning Sunday night’s featured Preferred pace for mares at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried the night’s top purse of $25,000.
On April 27 at Yonkers, Feeling You rallied in the stretch to knock off pacesetting Camille in the $250,000 Blue Chip final at Yonkers. On Sunday night at Pocono, Camille benefitted from a #3 post position in a field of nine, while Feeling You started from the #7 hole. Camille was made the 4-5 betting favorite, and the 5-year-old mare from the Ron Burke barn took the lead around the first turn from early leader Warrawee Koine.
Driver Matt Kakaley was able to rate the speed well aboard Camille (Camluck-Art Of Design) with a 29-second second panel, and the mare would need every bit of that energy when Feeling You came at her first-over on the back stretch. The two dueled right to the line before Camille prevailed by a nose in 1:51:1. Warrawee Koine picked up the show and Economy Terror, a former Breeders Crown winner and two-time Pennsylvania State champ, was fourth in her first start of the season.
Camille, owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, M1 Stable, and Jack Piatt II, won for the fourth time in six tries this year in what was her first sojourn outside of New York in 2013. It was also her 24th career win and pushed her lifetime earnings to $849,309.
In other action at Pocono on Sunday night, Only In My Dreams (Credit Winner-Invincible Dream), trained by Gail Wrubel and driven by Mike Simons, won a $13,000 condition trot that was run in honor of Bobby Manning. Manning was a longtime Pocono horseman who died a few months ago at the age of 51. The Pocono horsemen gathered en masse in the winner’s circle following the race to honor Manning’s memory.
Aug 11, 2012 | Racing
August 11, 2012
Odds-on favorites Economy Terror, Big McDeal, and Darena Hanover all delivered in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The purses for the three Sire Stakes divisions ranged from $104,229 to $104,630.
Economy Terror (Western Terror-Mattatonic), who went off as the 1-9 favorite in the first split, led much of the way but had to hold on late for a tight victory in 1:50:3. Dave Palone guided the filly home by a neck over a fast-closing Kiss Dont Bite with Marty Party finishing 3rd. Owned by Chuck Pompey, Howard Taylor, and Edwin Gold and trained by Chris Oakes, Economy Terror won her second straight Sire Stakes race in her attempt to defend the Pennsylvania state championship she won at Pocono as a 2-year-old.
Big McDeal (McArdle-Ideal Gal), at 3-5, controlled matters on the front end to win her split in convincing fashion. Driver Jody Jamieson sent the filly from the Benjamin Wallace barn to the lead with a quick move on the front stretch, and she held off all comers from that point to win by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:50:2. Moonlit Dragon closed on the inside for 2nd while Destiny’s Chance managed the show. Owned by Bradley Grant, Big McDeal has now won her last two Sire Stakes races, with her previous victory coming in world-record time at The Meadows.
Darena Hanover (Yankee Cruiser-Dashaway Hanover) took the final split in gate-to-wire fashion at 1-5, although she really had to hustle home to hold off hard-charging Lightning Paige in 2nd and Dream Of Winning in 3rd. Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and trained by Ron Burke, the filly won by ¾ lengths in 1:51 with Matt Kakaley in the bike. Darena Hanover now has been in the money in 10 of 11 starts this season with four victories.
Jul 8, 2012 | Racing
July 7, 2012
Meirs Hanover matched a track record at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs with his victory in 1:48:1 in Saturday night’s featured Open pace. The race carried a purse of $50,000.
Meirs Hanover, a 5-year-old stallion from the Ron Burke barn looking for a bounce back after breaking stride in the Ben Franklin final due to interference, left from post position #2 in the field of eight as a 6-1 shot and found the pocket early behind pacesetting 6-5 favorite Golden Receiver. The leader had to fight off pressure from Rockincam on the front stretch and Dial Or Nodial on the back, leading to sizzling fractions of 26:1, 53:2, and 1:20:1.
In the stretch, driver Matt Kakaley tipped Meirs Hanover into the passing lane and he rallied past the game Golden Receiver to win by a half-length. Special T Rocks came on for 3rd. The winning time of 1:48:1 matched the Pocono record for aged pacing stallions that was set just two weeks ago in the Franklin eliminations by Aracache Hanover.
Meirs Hanover, the offspring of Artsplace and Mary Mattgalane and owned by Burke Racing Stable, Van Dusen, Cimaglio, and Strollin Stable, won for the 4th time in 14 2012 races. It was his 21st career victory, giving him lifetime earnings of $460,207.
In addition to the Open pace, Grand Circuit Week continued at Pocono with three $50,000 divisions each of the 3-year-old colts and geldings on the trot and on the pace. On the trotting side, the winners were: Fashion Astral (Broadway Hall-Lindy Lane), owned by Fashion Farms LLC, trained by Jim Campbell, and driven by Matt Kakaley, in 1:54:4; Nothing But Class (Andover Hall-Bold Dreamer), owned by Christina Takter, John Fielding, Louie Camara, and Jan Hoibye, and trained and driven by Jimmy Takter, in 1:54:2; and Uncle Peter (Cantab Hall-Victory Treasure), owned by Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, and Falkbolagen Ab, and trained and driver by Jimmy Takter, in 1:52:3.
On the pacing side, the winners were Mcerlean (McArdle-Igottwowordsforyou), owned by Muscara Racing Trust, trained by Trond Smedshammer, and driven by Matt Kakaley, in 1:51:1; Star Recruit (Dragon Again-Remarkable Star), owned by Carter, Carter, Reid, and Grubbs, trained by Bruce Riegle, and driven by Tony Hall, in 1:51:4; and I Like Dreamin (McArdle-I’m Not Dreamin), owned by Lomangino Standardbreds and Leo Lomangino, trained by Sam DePinto, and driven by George Napolitano Jr., in 1:51:4.
