Treacherous Dragon was very impressive in her 2022 debut, taking one of two $35,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for three-year-old pacing fillies Sunday (May 8) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with Weiss Series champion Silent Crossing winning her sixth straight in the other split.

Tim Tetrick got away midpack in a seven-horse field with Treacherous Dragon, as Sweet Kisses hustled away to get the lead well before a :28 quarter, only to yield to brushing Bet On The Bay in front of the stands, with the latter posting midrace splits of :57.1 and 1:25.2.

The Captaintreacherous miss Treacherous Dragon started an attack in the backstretch, and nearing the three-quarters she rode outside the leader, a position she maintained through the turn. Straightened for the stretch, Treacherous Dragon hit a much higher gear and was clear in the blink of an eye, storming home in :26.4 on the clock to complete a 1:52.1 victory by 1-1/4 lengths over Sweet Kisses, who rallied up the inside to catch Bet On The Bay for the deuce.

Treacherous Dragon now has five victories and earnings of $317,362. Owned by Hot Lead Farm LLC, Treacherous Dragon is trained by Brett Pelling, who traveled this same divisional stakes trail last year with 2021 Horse of the Year Test Of Faith.

Captaintreacherous got a stakes siring sweep when Silent Crossing nosed Southwind Java while taking a mark of 1:52.4. Mark MacDonald sent the streaking filly to the lead, then yielded to Southwind Java nearing the :26.4 quarter, with the leader getting a nice rest to a :57 half and stepping up the pace to 1:24.4 to the three-quarters, burning off the outside opposition.

Silent Crossing went to the Pocono Pike for the stretch drive, but for a long while it didn’t look like she would overhaul her rival. However, Silent Crossing found an extra gear nearing the wire and edged the pacesetter by a nose for trainer Jessica Fallon and owners Hutt Racing Stable and Blake MacIntosh, continuing her remarkable turnaround – she lost the first 12 races of her career, but since has tacked on sixth straight successes.

Marcus Miller headed the drivers colony with four visits to Victory Lane on the twilight card.

Racing will continue at Pocono on Monday and Tuesday, with first post each day at 1:30 p.m. (EDT). Program pages are available on the PHHA website. 

(PHHA / Pocono)