The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Week in Review

September 7-13, 2019

Normally we would devote this space to the Weekly Awards. But we’re going to take a break this week to detail all of the action from an afternoon an early evening of stakes competition at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Not only were the $40,000 finals of the Stallion Series held for both two and three-year-old horses, but the $100,000 finals of the Great Northeast Open Series took place.

All totaled, there were 11 stakes races on the 14-race program. Here are the results:

STALLION SERIES 2-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT

When the 4-5 favorite Next Level Stuff made a break on the first turn, somebody had to step up in this class. Miss Wilia, a 9-1 shot leaving from post #8 in the nine-horse field, did just that. She led gate-to-wire, holding off late charges from Caviart Guilia and Madame Sherry to win it by a head in 1:55:2. Scott Zeron did the driving for trainer Rick Zeron.

STALLION SERIES 2-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE

38-1 long shot Keystone Eureka was game with a first-over charge. But the 6-5 favorite The Party’s Rockin was tough as nails on the front end. When challenged, the filly trained by Mark Harder and driven by Tyler Buter responded, holding tight to her lead to get it done by a length in 1:52:4 for her third straight victory.

STALLION SERIES 2-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND GELDINGS TROT

The 6-5 favorite Town Victor came in with wins in five of his seven races. He sat the pocket trip in the final behind Loyal Fox Hanover, who set imposing fractions but couldn’t shake the favorite. In the lane, Matt Kakaley guided Town Victor, trained by Rich Gillock, right past the pacesetter to go away for a two-length win in 1:54:4, a new Stallion Series final mark for male freshman trotters.

STALLION SERIES 2-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND GELDINGS PACE

Lake Charles, driven by David Miller and trained by Ray Schnittker, was made the 2-1 second choice and set the early pace. The even-money favorite Captain Groovy sat the pocket and pulled to the outside on the last turn hoping to take over. But Lake Charles was having none of it, pulling away for a convincing 3 ½-length victory in 1:51:3, the fastest pace ever in a 2-year-old Stallion Series final.

STALLION SERIES 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT

Despite leaving from a tough #8 post position, Jezzy’s Legacy, the 8-5 betting favorite, was able to hustle to the front at the quarter. After Tyler Buter rated her well, the filly had to stand tall late as Southwind Storm made a three-wide charge at her late. But Jezzy’s Legacy, trained by Ray Schnittker, held up for a victory in 1:54:1, matching the fastest ever time by a three-year-old trotting filly in a Stallion Series final.

STALLION SERIES 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE

Front-end speed had been the order of the day to that point, but Annie Hill, the 6-5 favorite in this final, chose a different tactic. Tyler Buter guided the filly to a second-over journey before a three-wide move in the lane. The Chris Oakes’ trainee powered on home past pacesetter Sweet Cherry to win by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:50:4, matching the fastest ever Stallion Series final for the group.

STALLION SERIES 3-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND GELDINGS TROT

Driver Yannick Gingras had to work Lindy’s Crazy Hall early to get the lead from the #8 post. But he then rated the 3-1 second betting choice very well, especially through a relaxed second panel. That paid off late, as Lindy’s Crazy Hall fought off the late challenge of betting favorite Kate’s Massive to deliver the win by a head in 1:54:3.

GREAT NORTHEAST OPEN SERIES MARES PACE

The heavy favorite Caviart Ally set the pace in the 1 ¼-mile rest, but five out of the six horses stayed relatively close to her for the entirety of the race. She tried to finish strong, by Bettor’s Up, a 14-1 long shot trained by Nick Surick, came on strong at the end of the elongated race as if she was just getting warmed up. Tim Tetrick rallied Bettor’s Up to the win in 2:21.

GREAT NORTHEAST OPEN SERIES TROT

The decorated mare Hannelore Hanover was the heavy favorite and she led most of the way in this final. But Rich And Miserable, who has burst upon the scene for trainer Todd Buter in 2019, stayed attached in the pocket. It came down to a thrilling stretch duel, a duel that was won by Rich And Miserable in the passing lane with Tyler Buter in the bike in 2:24:3.

GREAT NORTHEAST OPEN SERIES PACE

In the previous two Great Northeast Open finals, the leader had coughed the lead up late. And, with 1-2 favorite Backstreet Shadow lurking behind pacesetter None Bettor A, it looked like the same thing might happen again. But driver George Napolitano Jr. coaxed more out of 5-2 second choice None Bettor A, and the Andrew Harris’ trainee held on by in 2:20:1.

STALLION SERIES 3-YEAR-OLD COLTS AND GELDINGS PACE

Waterway, trained by Tony Alagna and driven by Dexter Dunn, ended the Monday stakes action in thrilling fashion. With a pocket trip behind long shot Seafarer, the 6-1 shot scooted up the passing lane late and was just able to nip Seafarer by a nose. Waterway, who had spent most of the last few months at Yonkers, paced the mile in 1:51.

That will do it for this week at Pocono, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].

 

 

Pennsylvania Stallion Series Finals Shine on Monday Card

The top pointearners in the eight divisions of Pennsylvania Stallion Series, a class just below the Sire Stakes program, will be meeting during a Monday twilight card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono to contest $40,000 Championship races.

 

Perhaps the most interesting entrant in the Stallion Series Championships is the three-year-old Muscle Massive colt Kate’s Massive, who will attempt to become only the third Stallion Series Championship winner at two to repeat at three, behind trotting filly Migisi (2010-11) and pacing colt Nimble And Quick (2015-16).  Kate’s Massive made a break in his first StS start of 2018, then won two prelims before taking the final; this year he won all three of the prelims he entered and should be favored from post seven in race nine. In the companion filly event, race seven, Spring In Paris recorded three wins and a second in the prelims and figures the horse to beat from post four.

 

Among the sophomore pacers, race thirteen’s colt event had only two two-time StS prelim winners, Under Paid and Skip To My Lou, and figures to be a wide-open contest. In contrast, the pacing fillies, gathered in race eight, had five distaffs who posted two Stallion Series winners, including JK Mardi Says, who was victorious the only two times she entered the prelims.

 

Turning to the two-year-olds: the one hope that a Stallion Series horse would win in all four preliminaries, the pacing colt Captain Groovy, had that dream brought to a halt last time when he was beaten by a half-length. The Captain still figures as one of the sixth race favorites, along with the streaking Lake Charles, three-for-three in the prelims. Among that gait’s distaffs, in race four, the two standouts are Aplomp Hanover and Arden Hanover, both of whom won three preliminaries – and was beaten by the other in the fourth.

 

In the baby trotting races, Town Victor has three Stallion Series victories and 5-of-7 so far in his young career; he is likely to be favored over good youngsters Saxon and Stickler Hanover. The StS Championship for baby trotting fillies is race three, where five misses notched two preliminary wins, including three who won in both their prelim appearances: Heart N Soul Deo, Next Level Stuff, and Caviart Guilia.

 

The eight Stallion Series Championships will share the Monday spotlight at Pocono with the three $100,000 Great Northeast Open Series Championships for mare pacers, open trotters, and open pacers, in that order, all to be conducted at 1¼ miles. Horsemen with GNOS Championship entrants are reminded that there is a six-hour detention situation from scheduled post time, with post time for the first event, the mare pace, listed at 6:42 p.m. Contact the racing office for further information.

-30-