Aug 15, 2012 | Racing
August 14, 2012
Me And Cinderella and Smoother Ride each won their fourth consecutive race to highlight Stallion Series action on Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. There were six Stallion Series divisions held for 2-year-old colts and geldings on the trot, each carrying a purse of $20,000.
Me And Cinderella (Cantab Hall-Missy’s Goalfire), owned by Bluestone Farms and trained by Joe Holloway, took his split with Tyler Buter in the bike in 2:00. Smoother Ride (Yankee Glide-Mazda Hanover), owned by Angelo Frassetto and trainer Steve Elliott, scored with Mike LaChance driving in 1:58.
Other Stallion Series winners at Pocono on Tuesday were: Sailer Eddie (Cantab Hall-Flirtin Victory), owned by Hauser Brothers Racing Enterprise LLC and Matt Tudisco, trained by Chris Oakes, and driven by Matt Kakaley, in 1:58:1; Shockoe Hanover (Donato Hanover-Sharise Seelster), owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Panhellenic Stable, and Pete Collura, trained by Ron Burke, and driven by Matt Kakaley, in 1:59:2; Spiro De Vie (SJ’s Caviar-Angelique Hanover), owned by Regina Beinhauer and trainer and driver Rick Beinhauer, in 1:58:4; and Andy Revrac (Andover Hall-Marvelous Yankee), owned by John Carver, trained by Tony Alagna, and driven by Mike LaChance, in 2:01:4.
Jul 20, 2012 | Racing
July 18, 2012
All three winners of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on Wednesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs went faster than the existing track record for three-year-old trotting fillies, with Holier Than Thou matching a world record in her division win as a 27-1 long shot. There were three divisions of the Sire Stakes held at Pocono for the sophomore distaff trotters with purses ranging from $99,503 to $99,907.
Maven (Glidemaster-M Stewart), who was fresh off a win in the Reynolds at The Meadowlands and was made the 1-9 favorite, started the record-breaking off with a 7 ¼ length win in her division with Yannick Gingras in the bike. Uncommon Night was 2nd, while Can’t Have My Moni was further back in 3rd.
Trained by Jonas Czernyson and owned by W J Donovan, Maven now has 11 wins in 17 lifetime starts. The winning time of 1:53:2 broke the Pocono mark for her age group of 1:53:4, which was set in August of 2010 by Christiana Hanover and matched a month later by Pictures Of Millie.
Superstar Hanover (Cantab Hall-Star Hanover), trained and driven by Jimmy Takter, atoned for a loss at 1-9 two starts ago at Pocono by winning the second Sire Stakes division in 1:53:3. The filly, owned by Christina Takter, Louie Camara, and John Fielding, held off fast closing Real Babe in 2nd and Oasis Dream in 3rd.
In the final Sire Stakes split, Holier Than Thou (Cantab Hall-Sunday Yankee), again featuring the connections of Gingras, Czernyson, and Donovan, rallied from way back for a 2 ¾ length win in 1:53:1, resetting the track mark and matching the world record on a 5/8 oval for 3-year-old trotting fillies held by Hiddden Viggorish. Holier Than Thou, a 27-1 shot, more than doubled her lifetime earnings with the big purse. Favorite Valdonna finished 2nd while Aren’t I Hanover grabbed the show.
Jul 18, 2012 | Racing
July 17, 2012
Cantab Cabela trotted the fastest winning time out of four divisions of The Stallion Series held at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Tuesday night. The Stallion Series races, which were contested by 3-year-old trotting fillies, each carried a purse of $20,000.
Cantab Cabela (Cantab Hall-Keystone Call Girl), a filly trained and driven by Todd Schadel and owned by Todd and Christine Schadel, won in 1:56:2. That career-best time was the fastest of the four Series splits held Tuesday night.
Other Stallion Series winners were: Enfilade (Donato Hanover-Missa Brevis), driven by Tyler Buter, trained by Fred Grant, and owned by Russell Williams, in 1:57:1; Barefoot Brook (Cantab Hall-Rosebud Sioux), driven by Buter, trained by Walter Dunn, and owned by Dunn Stable, in 1:56:4; and Ciao Dough (Chip Chip Hooray-Rising Dough), driven by Mike Simons, trained by Aaron Hamilton, and owned by En Mar Stable, in 1:56:4.
Jul 14, 2012 | Racing
July 14, 2012
Three divisions of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for 3-year-old colts and geldings on the trot took center stage on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Each of the three divisions carried a purse of $99,438.
Despite being laid off since late May, Top Billing (Andover Hall-NY Starlet) survived a long first-over journey to score as the even-money favorite in the night’s first Sire Stakes division. The 3-year-old colt driven by Tyler Buter for trainer Julie Miller just nosed out Lindys Jersey Boy in 1:53:4, with Solvato finishing third. Top Billing, owned by Jason and Douglas Allen, won for the fourth time in six 2012 races.
In the second Sire Stakes split, My MVP (Cantab Hall-Exceed Expectation), the 1-5 favorite, worked hard to keep the lead after taking over on the back stretch and won by a half-length in 1:53:4. Magic Tonight finished second and Scary Good picked up the show. Mike LaChance drove My MVP for trainer Tony Alagna and owners Brittany Farms, Modern Family Partners, and Joe Sbrocco, as the 3-year-old colt won for the third time this year and second time in Sire Stakes competition.
The final Sire Stakes of the night turned into a thrilling stretch duel between 1-9 favorite Stormin Normand and pocket horse Lightning Storm, with the favorite winning by a nose in 1:52:4. Modern Family finished 3rd. After finishing 2nd in both the Earl Beal Memorial and the Yonkers Trot, Stormin Normand (Broadway Hall-Idole Normand) came up with his eighth win in 12 lifetime starts. Matt Kakaley drove the colt to victory for trainer Jim Campbell and owner Fashion Farms LLC.
In other action on Saturday night, Dynamic Youth won a condition pace, and in so doing, broke a track record for three-year-old geldings on the pace. The previous Pocono record for the grouping of 1:49:4 was set by Goddess’s Justin back in 2008, but that mark went down when Dynamic Youth (Bettor’s Delight-Always True) tripped the line in 1:49:2 with Andrew McCarthy in the bike for trainer Aaron Lambert. The gelding, who hasn’t lost in three outings at Pocono this year, is owned by Ken Tucci, J&T Silva Stables, and C&G Racing Stable.
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.
