Jun 9, 2013 | Racing
June 8, 2013
Another Saturday night, another world comes under assault at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
This time around, it was the mark for 4-year-old trotting stallions on a 5/8-mile oval that was obliterated by star trotter Uncle Peter in the Preferred trot on Saturday night. The race carried a purse of $25,000.
Uncle Peter (Cantab Hall-Victory Treasure), who was fresh off a second-place finish in the Maxie Lee at Harrah’s, was made the 3-5 favorite from the #5 post in a nine-horse field. The 4-year-old stallion from the Jimmy Takter barn got away mid-pack as the mare Tui set a scorching opening fraction of 26:3. Driver Jim Morrill Jr. set Uncle Peter in motion first-over on the front stretch and he had the lead before the clubhouse turn, hitting the half in 55:1.
On the back stretch, Uncle Peter gained separation and reached three-quarters in 1:22:4. Even with second-choice Undercover Strike sneaking up behind him into the pocket, the favorite had no trouble in the stretch, kicking away to win by four full lengths. Undercover Strike finished second while Keystone Thomas picked up the show. The winning time of 1:51:1 smashed the track record for 4-year-old stallions on the trot of 1:52, set last May by Fox Valley Iliad, and that mark was also the world record for the age group on any 5/8-mile oval.
Uncle Peter, owned by Christina Takter, John Fielding, Jim Fielding, and Goran Falk, has been in the money in every one of his six starts this year with two wins. The victory was the 10th of his career and pushed his lifetime earnings to $770,154.
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 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.
