Flanked virtually the entire stretch, Karinchak dug in gamely to capture Monday’s $69,444 championship of the Bobby Weiss Trotting Series for sophomore males, equalling the fastest trotting mile of the year at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

Three-time defending Pocono driving champion Matt Kakaley got away third with Karinchak as Te Quiero Lindy (Tyler Miller) used the rail to grab the early lead, with his uncoupled stablemate and favourite Green Mel (Andy Miller) settling in fourth. Kakaley, perhaps sensing a tough last half with the favourite looming, sent Karinchak after a :27.3 quarter to take control before the second turn, reaching the half in :55.4.

From there, Green Mel was left first-over and advanced steadily to the 1:24 three-quarters, then dropped inside when Te Quiero Lindy vacated the pocket. With Green Mel attacking inside and Te Quiero Lindy coming on outside, Karinchak (pictured above) refused to yield, winning in 1:53.2 — a new lifetime mark — by half a length over Green Mel, with Te Quiero Lindy another length back in third.

Karinchak was the only double preliminary winner in this Weiss division after suffering interference in the opening leg and then posting consecutive triumphs before his big win in the final. Ray Schnittker trains the talented Chapter Seven-Sianna Hanover colt and co-owns him with Ted Gewertz, Arden Homestead Stable, and Steven Arnold.

In the Weiss Series for three-year-old filly trotters, three $27,778 divisions of the final preliminary round were contested.

The only distaffer to sweep all three preliminaries was Halfadozen, a daughter of Six Pack-Tactical Caviar, driven by Dan Dube. Using a familiar strategy, backing down the half before sprinting home, Dube and Halfadozen unleashed a :56.4 back half to romp by 8-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3. Dube co-owns the Pierre Paradis-trained filly with Jean Claude Dessureault.

The "Orange Crush" team of Andy and Julie Miller scored in the fastest split with Santa Cristina (Tyler Miller), a Bar Hopping-Cadinale filly who set the pace and dug in to fend off favoured Admiring by a nose in 1:54.4, earning a new lifetime mark. She races for trainer Julie Miller and Willow Oak Racing LLC.

In the final division, R Jezzy (Tactical Landing-Jezzys Legacy) rallied first-over to catch favoured Gilda Bi (Andy Miller) by a neck in 1:55.1. R Jezzy, ironically bred by Andy Miller but racing for others, is trained by John Butenschoen and owned by M&L of Delaware and Armitage Farm. Tyler Buter was in the sulky, one of six wins he recorded on the card to extend his lead atop the Pocono driver standings.

Trainers Robert Cleary and Ron Burke each sent out three winners on the program — five of them driven by Buter.

Tuesday’s 1 p.m. card at Pocono will feature the third and final preliminary leg of the Game Of Claiming Trotting Series, offering six divisions at $17,000 USD each for trotters with a $30,000 USD base tag. A carryover will also be available in the fifth race Pick 5 wager.

(With files from PHHA/Pocono)