Ake Svanstedt trainee Marseille broke his maiden while posting the fastest victory of the three Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) divisions for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Sunday, June 2 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

The Muscle Hill colt Marseille parked favoured Gerry early, yielded to sit the pocket, then outtrotted him home by a half length in a 1:53.3 mile. Trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt had Marseille ready at first asking for Åke Svanstedt Inc., Order By Stable, and Howard Taylor.

Explosive Breakaway—a full brother to Phaetosive—pushed favoured Osterc to a :28 quarter then yielded for the pocket, and thus put himself in position to capitalize when Osterc made a break late on the far turn, going on to victory in 1:54.2. Summit In Sight, who had come uncovered from far back to challenge Osterc, got a brief lead when that rival broke, but the victorious Explosive Matter gelding had clear sailing through the inside to win by two-and-three-quarters lengths over Summit In Sight. Tom Jackson guided the winner for trainer Fred Grant, who shares ownership in the improving sophomore with Janice Rubin, Steve Katz, and Murray Brown.

White Tiger, a Muscle Massive gelding who equaled a world record in his division and finished second in the PASS championship, won the third division of the sire stakes in 1:55.3. The Muscle Massive gelding quarter-moved and got a slow half of :58.4, then increased the tempo and withstood the late charge of pylon-hugging Macmorris Hanover by three-quarter lengths. David Miller drove the Andrew Harris trainee to his fifth lifetime win for Thestable White Tiger Group.

Most impressive of the Stallion Series winners was last year’s Stallion Series Champion Kates Massive, who has two Stallion Series victories this year and is perfect in three 2019 outings after a 1:54.4 score. Dave Palone, the world’s all-time winningest driver, was lured from western Pennsylvania just to drive this colt for trainer Kelly Paver and quarter-moved the Muscle Massive colt to control, then came home in :28.3 under mild encouragement to win by a half length for owner Harry Horowitz.

Lapped By Lindy joined Kates Massive as a repeat-prelim Stallion Series winner, making the lead past the quarter and then being just able to withstand a big late charge by Night Hall by a nose while lowering his speed record to 1:55. Andy Miller drove the Muscle Hill gelding for trainer/wife Julie and the partnership of Lindy Farms of Connecticut, Andy Miller Stable Inc., and George Green.

The Cantab Hall gelding Nextroundsonme was given a well-judged steer by Marcus Miller, then came on after a fast pace to catch favored Sheer Muscle while taking a new mark of 1:55 in another Stallion Series division. Jenny Melander trains the sophomore for Belmar Racing&Breeding LLC.

Trainer Andrew Harris, who won a sire stakes section with White Tiger, added a Stallion Series victory when 19-1 shot Blue And Bold came off of cover to track down Mass Fortune K by three parts of a length in 1:56.1 for the meet's leading driver George Napolitano Jr. After opening the year with two victories in his first three starts and then dropping three straight, Blue And Bold showed he may again be on the upside for A Harris Racing LLC and April Campbell.

The Andover Hall colt Finally Found Away opened the card with a victory in his seasonal bow, lowering his mark to 1:57. Pacesetter Lazzaro made a break at headstretch, which left the door open for pocket-sitting Finally Found Away. The sophomore took advantage of the luck to win by one-and-a-half lengths for driver Corey Callahan, trainer Bob Stewart, and Bluestone Farms LLC.

In the $30,000 GNOS mares pace, Tequila Monday rebounded from a defeat at Philly after opening the year with six straight victories with a 1:50.2 victory. The American Ideal mare was sent to the front by driver Tyler Buter and put up fractions of :26.2, :55.1 and 1:23. Then, with the outer tiers stalling, she found her only stretch challenge coming from pocket-sitter Apple Bottom Jeans, and the winner of $853,462 withstood that one’s charge by three-quarter length. Hunter Oakes trains Tequila Monday, the leader so far in her division’s GNOS pointstandings, for Northfork Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey.

In the $30,000 open trot, Crystal Fashion, the Beal Trot Championship winner here last year and the PASS Trotter of the Year, had an easy time of it, defeating Muscle Diamond by two-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:53. Tim Tetrick guided the Cantab Hall gelding to the lead in front of the grandstand, and the winner of $1,277,509 powered home in :56 to notch his first win of the year after a closing fourth in his 2019 debut (a GNOS race) and a half-length defeat in a Graduate leg. Jim Campbell trains the rock-solid winner for Fashion Farms LLC.

(with files from PHHA/Pocono)