Six $20,000 divisions of the second leg of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for three-year-old pacing colts Monday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono produced about just as much excitement as had the Sire Stakes crew the night before – although none of the first leg winners at The Meadows added a second Stallion success here Monday.
The very first Stallion Series horse to step foot on the track Monday, Donttellmeagain, moved to the lead early for Tim Tetrick and snapped home in :27.1 to complete a victory in 1:50.2, faster than two divisions of the Sire Stakes the previous evening. But it was no real surprise that the altered son of Dragon Again, who took a new mark for trainer Jo Ann Looney-King and owners Paton Racing Stables Inc., could show that kind of speed – he was Stallion Series champion at two, and of his only three losses in a 12-race career, one came vs. older horses, closing from ninth and last in :53.4 to be just 1-1/2 lengths off, and the other two have been to last night’s hero, Fear The Dragon.
It wouldn’t be a modern-day Pennsylvania Sire Stakes/Stallion Series pace without the offspring of Somebeachsomewhere getting good money, and indeed the sire had two of his sons report home first in these Stallion Series contests. The winningest – and possibly the gamest -- of the Somebeachsomewhere’s Monday was Highalator, who posted his 10th victory of 2017 (in but 12 starts) with a 1:52.2 victory. That move to double-digit wins looked by no means assured in mid-stretch as Jo Pas Somebeach got to dead-even up the Pocono Pike, but Highalator, a Weiss Series champion on the first of the month, refused to surrender the lead, holding on by a nose for driver George Napolitano, Jr., trainer Jenny Bier, and owners Daryl Bier and Charles Dombeck.
The Somebeachsomewhere gelding Deerfield Beach won in his career-best 1:52.3 time for the second time in five days while taking another section for trainer Nifty Norman and the partnership of Sundance Stable LLC and Jay Sears. David Miller made two speed moves with the developing youngster, rated the pace, and then rocketed home in :26.4 to have 5-1/4 lengths over his nearest rivals at the wire.
Driver Miller became the only human doubler in the Stallion Series when he rallied the Western Ideal gelding Dorel from third-over and fifth still in mid-stretch to equal his mark of 1:52.1, overhauling favourite Southwind Yukon by a head. Chris Ryder handles conditioning on the youngster, now 3 for 5 lifetime for owner/breeder Shelby Novick.
Another Stallion Series cut looked like déjà vu all over again of an earlier contest, with Santafes Coach in the Highalator favoured pacesetting role (driven by a Napolitano, no less) and Sin City Boogie being the Jo Pas Somebeach surrogate, giving the leader all he wanted from the Pocono Pike. And like that race the pacesetter held off his left-hand challenger by a nose, as Santafes Coach got his third win in four seasonal starts in 1:53.1. Anthony Napolitano was in the sulky behind the Bettors Delight colt for trainer Leo Iordan and owners Edward DeRosa, Matthew Llovardi, and Ralph Woythaler.
Bettors Delight got another sire credit when Mikes Z Tam posted a career best and the second-fastest time, 1:52, in taking his cut. The gelding was the fourth different leader when he gained control at the half, and then responded gamely when challenged to his left by Cougar Bait late, finishing a half-length to the good for trainer/driver Pat Lachance, also co-owner with Z Tam Stables LLC, M&M Harness Racing LLC, and Royal Flush Stable LLC.
(PHHA/Pocono)