The top two horses in North American harness racing were in action during the rich Sun Stakes Saturday card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday, Aug. 19. 

Canadian-based Sylvia Hanover lost for just the second time in her career, while Confederate continued his extremely consistent sophomore campaign.

Twin B Joe Fresh Wins Battle Of The Titans In Lynch

Twin B Joe Fresh picked up her third win in a row, capturing Saturday’s (Aug. 19) $250,000 James M. Lynch Memorial for three-year-old female pacers by two lengths over Charleston in 1:49.4 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. Sweet Amira finished third in the race, which saw co-favourite Sylvia Hanover go off stride on the final turn as her 13-race victory streak came to an end.

Twin B Joe Fresh, who shared 4-5 odds with Sylvia Hanover, and driver Dexter Dunn went to the front from post four and reached the opening quarter in :27.2. Sylvia Hanover, who was fourth, launched a first-over bid with five-eighths of a mile to go and pulled even with Twin B Joe Fresh as the pair raced down the backstretch following a half in :56.2.

The battle continued into the final turn, but Sylvia Hanover’s miscue left Twin B Joe Fresh alone on the front. Shawn Steacy, who trains Sylvia Hanover with his father, Mark, said the horse touched a knee in the last turn, which he believes led to her making the break.

Twin B Joe Fresh fended off Charleston from there for her fifth triumph in eight races this season.

“We had a good draw and we wanted to use it,” said Dunn. “She’s such a versatile filly. You can get her out of the gate and she will do whatever you want her to do. We did get a good breather [in the second quarter]. She came back to me nicely.

“Obviously, we had Sylvia bearing down our back down the backstretch. I guess it was a little lucky for us she made a break, but my filly was still travelling great at the time. She’s a powerful girl and she knows her job. It’s a great win for her and the team.”

Twin B Joe Fresh is a daughter of Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze owned by trainer Chris Ryder, Dunn, Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak. The Brittany Farms-bred filly has won 13 of 18 career races and earned $927,009.

“It’s always different when you own them, especially with Chris and Pete and the team,” said Dunn. “It’s very special.”

The victory was Ryder’s third in the Lynch. He won in 2019 with Stonebridge Soul and in 2013 with I Luv The Nitelife.

Twin B Joe Fresh paid $3.80 to win.

Front Page Story won the $125,000 Lynch Consolation I in 1:50.2. High Fashion Star finished second and Racin Hungry was third. Front Page Story was driven by Tim Tetrick for trainer Mark Steacy and owner Hudson Standardbred Stable. The White Birch Farm-bred daughter of Captaintreacherous-Wenditions has won three of 11 races this year and three of 19 lifetime, banking $158,743.

The winner of the $75,000 Lynch Consolation II was Mollop Hanover in 1:51.1. Lisa Lane was second and Treacherous Penny third. The Hanover Shoe Farms-bred daughter of Betting Line-Mayhem Seelster was driven by James MacDonald for trainer Anthony Beaton and owners West Wins Stable, Dumain Haven Farm and Eric Good. Unraced at age two, Mollop Hanover has won six of 10 starts and earned $87,540.

Confederate Stalks, Pounces In Hempt

After vaulting home with :25.4 closing quarters to win both the Meadowlands Pace and the Cane Pace, Confederate obliterated yet another field of three-year-old male pacers in Saturday’s (Aug. 19) $300,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, soaring off second-over cover to a 1:48.3 win — his sixth in seven tries this season.

The three innermost starters — Christchurch, Hungry Angel Boy and Stockade Seelster — threw down as the gates folded, and Christchurch (Yannick Gingras) threaded up the pegs to secure the top spot through a :26.1 quarter. Despite sustained pressure from the parked Stockade Seelster (David Miller), Christchurch maintained the lead to a :53.3 half, and Confederate, whom Tim Tetrick rated fourth off the early skirmish, moved into the prime second-over striking spot.

“I got away fourth and was happy to be there, and they were racing up front," said Tetrick. "I had to pull at the half to follow Dave’s parked horse — Dave’s horse raced great, kept fighting all the way. My horse did the rest from there; he’s pretty special.”

To say that the Sweet Lou-Geothermal colt did the rest from there was an understatement. After Christchurch hit three-quarters in 1:21, Confederate uncorked a three-wide rally turning for home and he struck the front in the final sixteenth before widening his lead to three lengths at the winning post while in hand throughout. Stockade Seelster protected second after leveling off. Christchurch was a worn-down third.

“He just likes to win and he’s super fast,” said Tetrick, who has driven the Brett Pelling trainee for Diamond Creek Racing in all of his sophomore starts. “It’s worked out that I’ve been able to race him off cover. He’s sharp and he loves passing horses. As long as the trip allows me to do that, I think the horse will last a lot longer doing that. Usually, these colts are tired by now or getting tired and I think he’s getting fresher and stronger. He loves his work.”

Confederate, who paid $2.10 to win, has won 11 of 14 races lifetime and has banked $1,393,504 in purses.

After finishing a traffic-troubled sixth in the Adios and narrowly missing older company in an overnight event last week, Ken Hanover ($2.20) outlasted a bevy of challengers throughout a 1:49 mile to capture the $200,000 first consolation of the Hempt. The Captaintreacherous-KJs Justine colt duelled wide of pole-sitter Command through the entire first turn before clearing for control just past a :26.2 first quarter but found no breathers upon clearing as Ervin Hanover advanced uncovered to force a :53.1 half. As Ervin Hanover began to fade with three-eighths to go, Joemikiyoursofine mounted a three-wide push toward Ken Hanover, but the pacesetter did well to hold his ground to three-quarters in 1:20.3 — all while 20-1 long shot Command bided his time in the pocket. Command found room to take his shot in upper stretch, but Ken Hanover — driven out by Tim Tetrick the length of the lane — clung to the lead by a diminishing neck over the game Command. Joemikiyoursofine saved third despite fading through the final turn.

Trainer Roland “Polie” Mallar co-owns Ken Hanover, now a 10-time winner with $353,395 in career earnings, with Patrick Leavitt, William Jordan and Dennis Osterholt.

Ohio invader Act Fast ($4) was a decisive front-end winner in the $100,000 second consolation. After driver Yannick Gingras floated Act Fast forward to clear Hungry Man at the end of a :27 first quarter, they travelled uncontested through middle splits of :54.3 and 1:22 before edging 2-3/4 lengths clear of Hungry Man at the end of a 1:49.3 mile. Lyons Surfing collared Lousain Bolt for third up the inside. Ron Burke trains the Downbytheseaside-Act Like A Diva colt, now a seven-time winner, for Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Rich Lombardo Racing and Beasty LLC.

Up Your Deo Rallies Late To Capture Beal

Up Your Deo and trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt used a pocket trip behind Celebrity Bambino and pounced with an inside move in the stretch to win Saturday’s (Aug. 19) $300,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for three-year-old trotters by 1-3/4 lengths over Kilmister in 1:52.3. Kierkegaard K finished third and Celebrity Bambino was fourth.

Oh Well went off stride going for the early lead from post eight, leaving Up Your Deo in front on the first turn before Celebrity Bambino took the top spot as they reached the quarter in :27.3. Celebrity Bambino got to the half in :56 and three-quarters in 1:23.4, and remained in front into the stretch, but was unable to hold the position from there.

Up Your Deo came home fastest of all over the final quarter-mile, :28.3, to claim the victory.

“I was extremely confident [in the stretch],” said co-owner and breeder Mike Gulotta of Deo Volente Farms. “I saw him coming up the rail and I said it’s over. He pulled away by a couple lengths; it was awesome. It’s a thrill.”

Winless in eight races at age two, Up Your Deo has won four of seven races this year, including the MGM Yonkers Trot. He has earned $544,487 for owners Deo Volente Farms, Ake Svanstedt Inc., Suleyman Yuksel Stables and Van Camp Trotting Corp.

“It’s a tremendous high,” said Gulotta. “He made us proud.”

The win was Svanstedt’s fourth of the day as a trainer-driver. It also was his third Beal title in the last four editions of the race.

Up Your Deo, a son of Walner-Grand Stand, paid $5.60 to win as the 9-5 favourite.

Black Magic upset at odds of 12-1 to win the $200,000 Beal Consolation I over favourite Crown and Devilish Hill. The colt was driven by David Miller for trainer Steve Cross and owners Richard Gutnick, Tom Pontone and Joseph Lozito Jr. It was Black Magic’s first win in 11 starts this season and sixth in 21 lifetime. The son of Full Count-Glisten Hanover, who was bred by Marvin Raber, upped his career earnings to $317,874.

Little Expensive won the $100,000 Beal Consolation II for driver Andy Miller and trainer Julie Miller. Brace For Landing finished second and Kobe B was third. Little Expensive is owned by Andy Miller Stable, Daniel Plouffe and Jean Goehlen. The son of Muscle Hill-Seviyorum was bred by Stroy Inc. and has won two of seven races this season and four of 11 in his career, earning $100,762.

Bond Avenges Oaks Defeat In Delmonica Hanover 

After losing in a photo finish to Heaven Hanover in the Hambletonian Oaks two weeks ago, Bond turned the tables on her rival in the $250,000 Delmonica Hanover, for three-year-old trotting fillies, on Saturday (Aug. 19) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. Bond took full advantage of a pocket trip behind Heaven Hanover before rallying up the open stretch to score in 1:52.1.

Bond and trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt made the strongest push for the early lead, clearing Blonde Bombshell on the first turn before ceding control to Heaven Hanover (Tim Tetrick) at the conclusion of a :26.3 first quarter. Heaven Hanover stole a :56 half before bracing for a first-over attack from Quick Stop (Scott Zeron), who ascended out of fifth, on approach to the far turn to force the pace to quicken.

After controlling three-quarters in 1:23.4 and being nudged by Quick Stop through the far turn, Heaven Hanover was asked by Tetrick for all she had in the stretch — and Svanstedt dove to the open stretch with Bond. The Southwind Frank-Boccone Dolce filly surged in the final sixteenth to chase down an all-out Heaven Hanover and prevail by a head. Quick Stop finished a detached third after levelling off.

“It was a good horse that came up on the outside of us,” Svanstedt said of Heaven Hanover and the pocket trip she availed Bond. “She was a nice horse to sit behind.”

Of his own filly, Svanstedt was equally succinct: “I’m happy with her.”

Bond, now an 11-time winner from 16 starts with $908,165 in lifetime earnings, is owned by Åke Svanstedt Inc., Little E and L Berg Inc. She paid $3 to win.

After her last four Plainridge Park appearances all resulted in victories, The Wise One ($26) took the show on the road in the $125,000 first consolation of the Delmonica Hanover, rallying out of mid-division to win in 1:54.1. Scott Zeron kept the Muscle Hill-Grandmas Moni filly in sixth early as 25-1 longshot Kaddari tore through early fractions of :26.4 and :55.2. As both Portulaca and Fashion Annie broke stride up the backstretch, The Wise One inherited fourth before Kaddari hit three-quarters in 1:23.4 and began her bid on the far turn as Heart On Fire pulled the pocket to engage the pacesetter. Heart On Fire struck the front at the top of the stretch, but The Wise One reeled her in with a sixteenth to go and won going away by two lengths. Bella Macchiato chased evenly for third. Domenico Cecere trains The Wise One, now a six-time winner with $172,475 in career earnings, for owner-breeder Moni Maker Stable.

In the $75,000 second consolation, Soderberg Bloodstock LLC’s Pure Hope S ($2.80) rode the pocket behind stablemate Wild Jiggy S from the bell until the top of the stretch, where trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt hooked the Brillantissime-Final Hope filly three-wide around duelling leaders to strike the front. Pure Hope S responded instantaneously and sprinted 2-1/4 lengths clear of Check Her Out to win in 1:54.1. Lie In Wait finished third.

Allywag Hanover Three-peats In Always B Miki

In the first 60 starts of his career, Allywag Hanover has only ventured to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on three occasions — for a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event in 2020 and for the Always B Miki Invitational on the Sun Stakes programs of 2021 and 2022, winning all of them. On Saturday (Aug. 19), in his 61st start, Allywag Hanover made yet another triumphant trip into the mountains, winning his third consecutive edition of the Always B Miki, outpacing South Beach Star for a 1:48.4 score in the $100,000 pacing event.

Allywag Hanover and driver Todd McCarthy, widest of three early leavers, circled South Beach Star (Brian Sears) on the first turn before pressing into Tattoo Artist (Tim Tetrick) through a :26.3 quarter and subsequently clearing for control just after straightening off the far turn. Once he cleared down to the pegs, Allywag Hanover was never in doubt, throwing down fractions of :54 and 1:20.4 before shaking free of his six rivals at head-stretch. The six-year-old Captaintreacherous gelding sprinted 2-1/2 lengths clear under mild urging to defeat the rallying tandem of South Beach Star and Stonebridge Helios (Dexter Dunn), who were second and third, respectively.

“He’s always been a horse that takes a handful of starts to come back into form, but he’s certainly back to his best at the moment,” McCarthy said of Allywag Hanover, who failed to finish better than fourth in his first five starts of the season before reeling off wins in the Sam McKee Memorial and the Always B Miki.

And while the journey was admittedly tougher than the pocket ride Allywag Hanover secured behind hot fractions in the McKee, McCarthy was pleased with how his charge responded to early exertion.

“It was a pretty tough win for him, working around to the front. He’s a horse who likes to do it all the way, but that was pretty brave the way he did it today. He was covering the ground pretty well down the backstretch and I was happy to let him try to get a head start on the other ones.”

Brett Pelling trains Allywag Hanover, whose 26th career win lifted his bankroll to $1,936,650, for the Allywag Stable.

Southwind Tyrion Best In Sebastian K

Southwind Tyrion won Saturday’s $100,000 Sebastian K Invitational for older trotters by 1-1/2 lengths over Hillexotic in 1:50.4 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. On Higher Ground finished third.

Hillexotic took the lead following a first-turn battle with Southwind Tyrion on the way to a :26.4 opening quarter. He remained on top through a :55.4 half and reached three-quarters in 1:23.2 before Southwind Tyrion and trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt made their move and pulled away from the field down the stretch.

Southwind Tyrion is a five-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Taylor Jean owned by S R F Stable, Ake Svanstedt Inc., Knutsson Trotting Inc., and Brittany Farms & Riverview. The Southwind Farms-bred stallion has won three of six races this season and 11 of 19 in his career, good for $441,123 in purses.

“He had a problem when he was [age] two and then didn’t race at three because he had problems again, so we took it easy and waited until he was done with growing,” said Svanstedt. “He had a lot of growth issues. But now he is good. He is starting to fulfill his potential.”

Svanstedt trained and drove Sebastian K S, the world-record-setting trotter honoured by the invitational.

Southwind Tyrion, the 1-2 favourite, paid $3 to win.

(USTA; photos, clockwise from top left, Twin B Joe Fresh, Confederate, Up Your Deo, Bond)