Sophomore Trotters Star in Sire Stakes at Pocono

Jun 18, 2013 | Racing

June 16, 2013
It wasn’t a good night for the favorites in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Sunday night. All three divisions, each of which carried a purse of $79,816, for 3-year-old colts and geldings on the trot were won by horses who weren’t the top betting choice.
In the first division, Valley Of Sin, the 4-1 second choice, made a big-3-wide move on the back stretch to get to the front and then held off favorite High Bridge in the stretch for the victory in 1:54:1. Mike Wilder was in the bike for trainer John Butenschoen. High Bridge had to settle for second while All Laid Out picked up the show. Valley Of Sin won his second straight at Pocono.
Dontyouforgetit was the 9-2 third choice in the second Sire Stakes division, but he blew by favorite Smoother Ride in the stretch after a pocket trip for the win in 1:54:1. Yannick Gingras drove for trainer Jimmy Takter. Smoother Ride was second and Spider Blue Chip third. Dontyouforgetuit now has wins in back-to-back races after a win at The Meadows in his previous start.
In the final Sire Stakes split. 9-2 shot Celebrity Maserati overcame the outside post thanks to a furious stretch rally to victory in 1:54:4. Tom Jackson was in the bike for trainer Susanne Strandqvist. Aperfectyankee finished second while Picture This got the show. Celebrity Maserati bounced back from his first loss of the season and now has won four of five in 2013.
Form held in Sunday night’s other featured race at Pocono, as 7-5 favorite Drop The Ball grinded first over and wore down Radar Contact to win by a neck in 1:50:1 in a $25,000 Preferred pace for mares. Corey Callahan did the driving for trainer Ross Croghan. Romantic Moment finished third. It was the first win of the year for Drop The Ball, who had been in three rugged stakes races in a row prior to her journey to Pocono.

Romantic Moment Wins Distaff Feature at Pocono

Jun 11, 2013 | Racing

June 9, 2013
Romantic Moment picked up her first victory of 2013 in impressive fashion, hanging tough on the front end to win the featured Preferred pace for mares on Sunday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried the night’s top purse of $25,000.
Coming off a 3-year-old season in which she won 10 of 16 races, Romantic Moment (American Ideal-Time N Again) had come up winless in her first four starts of 2013 before her trip to Pocono for trainer Jimmy Takter. She was the 2-1 second betting choice in the field of eight from the #5 hole, but she proved herself the best by leading at every pole in the mile. Despite challenges from Four Starz Roe first-over on the back stretch and Rock N Soul from the pocket down the lane, Romantic Moment, with Andrew McCarthy in the bike, dug deep and nipped Rock N Soul by a neck in 1:50:2. Lorrie Please picked up the show.
With her first win of the season, Romantic Moment, owned by Brittany Farms, now has 13 career victories. Her lifetime earnings now stand at $1,026,927.