Jun 25, 2014 | Racing
June 14, 2014
When you’re a superstar, you can win by a small margin and still make it seem like it was effortless. So Nuncio and Father Patrick, the twin 3-year-old superstars of the Jimmy Takter barn, proved in winning $72,300 divisions of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. There were three Sire Stakes divisions held on the night for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
In his division, Nuncio (Andover Hall-Nicole Isabelle), two-for-two in Sire Stakes action this season coming into the night, sank to last in the seven-horse field early before beginning a long first-over journey on the front stretch. Even when pacesetter Don Dorado built a sizable lead, driver Matt Kakaley and Nuncio never panicked and eventually glided by Don Dorado in the final strides to win by a neck in 1:53:3. Outburst finished third.
Father Patrick (Cantab Hall-Gala Dream), like Nuncio, was a 1-9 favorite in his split, which was no surprise considering his career record coming in of 12 wins in 13 starts. Kakaley sent him to the front past Datsyuk, who came into the race with wins in all three of his previous career races, and led him through fractions that were less than imposing. With Datsyuk all-out in the passing lane, Kakaley gently urged Father Patrick home to beat his persistent foe by a neck in 1:53:1. Dony Andreas picked up the show.
In the night’s remaining Sire Stakes division, Madewell Hanover (Yankee Glide-Mayday Hanover) cashed in on a strong first-over move to win in a career-best 1:53:4. Owned, trained, and driven by Chris Ryder, Madewell Hanover scored as the 4-1 third choice. JJ Alex finished second while 3-5 favorite Amped Up Hanover settled for third.
In other action on Saturday night at Pocono, Bolt The Duer captured the $25,000 Preferred pace and Not Afraid did the honors in the $25,000 Preferred Trot. It was the first win of the year for Bolt The Duer, driven by Mark MacDonald and trained by Peter Foley, who paced first-over to a victory in 1:48:2. Not Afraid, driven by Jim Morrill Jr. for trained Jimmy Takter, overpowered the field on the front end to a win in a career-best 1:51:4.
Jun 3, 2014 | Racing
May 21, 2014
Father Patrick’s sophomore season picked up where his 2-year-old campaign left off, as the trotting superstar coasted to an easy win in a $37,262 division of the Dickerson Cup in the Historic Series on Wednesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
Facing a field of six three-year-old colts and geldings as the 1-9 favorite, Father Patrick (Cantab Hall-Gala Dream), winner of 10 of 11 as a 2-year-old including the Breeders Crown final, easily made the front end on the front stretch and never had an anxious moment from there. The 3-year-old star of the Jimmy Takter barn won by 4 ½ lengths in 1:53:3 without driver Yannick Gingras ever lifting a finger. Amped Up Hanover was best of the rest in second and Marathon Man picked up the show.
In the other Dickerson Cup division held at Pocono on Wednesday night, Auspicious Hanover (Andover Hall-Above All Hanover) took advantage of a late break by leader It Really Matters and picked up the victory in 1:54:1. Driven and trained by Charlie Norris, Auspicious Hanover was the longest shot on the board at 14-1 and broke his maiden with the win. Dony Andreas finished second and It Really Matters hung on for the show.
Jul 8, 2013 | Racing
July 3, 2013
Five divisions of Pennsylvania All Stars races were held for two-year-old colts and geldings on the trot on Wednesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, and a track record fell in the process. The races each carried a purse of $30,000.
The winners of Wednesday night’s Pennsylvania All Stars races were: Amped Up Hanover (Explosive Matter-Armbro Amadeus), driven by Marcus Miller and trained by Erv Miller, in 1:55:4; Kapow Hanover (Explosive Matter-Kimberidge Hanover), driven by David Miller and trained by Staffan Lind, in 1:58:3; G Force Hanover (Glidemaster-Gracejean Bluechip), driven by Matt Romano and trained by Clarence Martin Jr., in 200:3; Ravenclaw (Donato Hanover-Pigwidgeon), driven by Yannick Gingras and trained by Steve Schoeffel, in 1:55:4; and Father Patrick (Cantab Hall-Gala Dream), driven by Gingras and trained by Jimmy Takter, in 1:56.
The winning times of 1:55:4 managed by Amped Up Havover and Ravenclaw broke the previous Pocono track record of 1:56:3 for 2-year-old geldings on the trot. That record was set by Money On My Mind in 2011.