Southwind Jazmin Equals World Record in Pocono Win

July 31, 2012
Southwind Jazmin set a track record and matched a world record for 4-year-old pacing mares on a 5/8-mile oval with her victory in 1:49:2 in the featured pace on Wednesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race, a condition pace for mares who were non-winners of $30,000 in their last five starts, carried the night’s top purse of $21,000.
Leaving from post position #5 in a field of seven as the 3-5 favorite, Southwind Jazmin (Art Major-Juliet’s Fate) settled sixth early as Caviart Sarah cut out the opening quarter in 26:2. Driver Joe Pavia Jr. sent the favorite to the outside in the front stretch and she made the lead at the half in 54:3. From there, she extended the lead with a blistering back stretch that had her at three-quarters in 1:21.
 In the stretch, Southwind Jazmin, owned by Rick Phillips and trained by Mark Harder, was never threatened and opened up to win by 6 ½ lengths over Jamaica Hanover. Caviart Sarah finished 3rd. The winning time of 1:49:2 broke the four-year-old Pocono track record of 1:49:3 set by U All BB in 2008. It also matched the 4-year-old mare world record of 1:49:2, held by Makerbark and Higher And Higher.
Southwind Jazmin won for the second time in 12 tries this year. It was her 13th career victory and her lifetime earnings now stand at $423,573.

Radar Contact Wins Featured Pace for Mares at Pocono

June 5, 2012
Radar Contact rallied in the final strides for a thrilling victory in Tuesday night’s featured pace for mares at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race, which was a condition for mares who are non-winners of $25,000 lifetime, carried the night’s top purse of $25,000.
Radar Contact, a 4-year-old mare from the Noel Daley barn, left from the #5 post in a field of seven at odds of 6-1 and sat toward the back of the pack early. Driver Andrew McCarthy sent the daughter of Dontgetinmyway to the outside past the 3/8-mile marker to follow the cover of 3-5 favorite Higher And Higher. In the stretch, Radar Contact went three-wide and rallied in the final strides to nail pacesetter Billmar Scooter by a nose at the line in a career-best time of 1:51. Higher And Higher finished 3rd.
It was the fourth win in seven 2012 races for Radar Contact. She now has 18 career victories and lifetime earnings of $510,987.