Many horses making their final preparations for the upcoming Breeders Crown races can be found in Thursday’s qualifying races at Pocono Downs, where the first of the 10 dashes will face the starter at 10:00 a.m.
Returning to the races is top sophomore pacing filly I Luv The Nitelife, who was given a brief respite after her straight-heat world record victory in the Jugette. Trainer Chris Ryder has tapped Andrew McCarthy to guide the phenomenal filly Thursday. The pair will line up in Post 3 in the day’s sixth event.
The best matchup of the morning action is saved for last, as in the tenth qualifier, where millionaire free-for-all pacers Warrawee Needy and Razzle Dazzle will square off.
Warrawee Needy is the fastest horse of 2013 courtesy of his 1:46.4 victory in an elimination of the W.R. Haughton. He will be recording his second straight morning appearance at Pocono after having paced to a qualifying win in 1:52 last week. ‘Needy’ has not been in a pari-mutuel race since the U.S. Pacing Championship on August 3.
Warrawee Needy will start from Post 3 for trainer Mark Ford and driver Mark MacDonald. Razzle Dazzle will begin from Post 6 for trainer Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman, who has called on Joe Pavia Jr. to perform the driving duties.
Tomorrow’s Pocono action is not just a ‘pacefest,’ as the highly-regarded sophomore trotter Smilin Eli is in to go for his first action since competing in the final of the Canadian Trotting Classic at Mohawk Racetrack.
Smilin Eli will contest Race 9 and Pavia will be performing the driving duties for trainer David Smith.
Freshman Don Dorado, winner of the recent Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship for two-year-old trotting colts, will head behind the starter and line up in Post 5 in Race 4 for trainer Robert Baggitt Jr. and driver Mike Simons.
(With files from Pocono)