The rapid development that a classy two-year-old can make was illustrated on Sunday, Aug. 10 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, where there was $268,737 of third-round preliminary action in both Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series for two-year-old trotting males.

None of the six winners (two divisions PASS, four Stallion Series) had won during the first two preliminary legs. Yet five of the winners were favourites, including two of the three maidens who won in these events. There were a total of nine previous PASS/Stallion Series winners competing, including two double winners, but they were beaten out by trotters coming into top form.

Top honours on the night went to the Captain Corey-Wet My Whistle gelding Mr Penner, who won in 1:54.2 to set a Pocono track record for two-year-old trotting geldings in the $79,300 first PASS division, knocking two fifths off of Town Victor’s 2019 standard. After sitting third through :28.1 and :57.4 early splits, trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt sent Mr Penner, who also equalled his mark, up first-over against double PASS winner Mr Big Spender approaching three-quarters in 1:26. He appeared to be going by the pacesetter when that one broke stride, and Mr Penner finished all alone, 3-3/4 lengths in front of Jim Beam (Matt Kakaley). Fineline Hanover (Jonathan Ahle) was third.

Mr Penner is now two-for-four for Ake Svanstedt Inc., Knutsson Trotting Inc., and Little E LLC. He paid $3.20 to win. 

The Greenshoe-Ladys Reward colt R Tommy Collins broke his maiden in the $79,848 second PASS split. He was hard-used by Ronnie Wrenn Jr. to make the top past an opening quarter in :28 but then did not let anyone past him as he put down :57.3 and 1:26.2 fractions before stopping the timer in 1:54.4. Minoan (Ahle) got to within a half-length at the wire. Dublin Hanover (Svanstedt) was third. Trainer Tom Svrcek co-owns the winning colt, who is now one-for-seven lifetime, with Janet Collins. R Tommy Collins returned $4.80 to win.

The fastest of the four $27,397 Stallion Series divisions was the 1:55.4 contest won by the Cantab Hall-Ophelia colt Hamlet Hall, who lowered his mark by over four seconds and was the only Stallion Series winner to be clear by more than a half-length at the finish. He travelled third to the quarter in :28.1 and was shuffled to fourth before the half in :58.1. Mike Wilder guided Hamlet Hall to the lead near the three-quarters in 1:27.1 and went on to an easy win by 2-3/4 lengths for trainer Norm Parker and owners George Romanoff, Martin Garey, and Thomas Klosky Jr. The colt has won two of his five career starts. Harlem Hanover (Kakaley) was second, followed by Money Mayfield (Braxten Boyd). The winner returned $4.40.

Captain Corey and Greenshoe, the sires of the Sire Stakes winners, also each picked up a Stallion Series siring credit, with both winners driven by Matt Kakaley. The Captain Corey-Jordan Blue Chip colt Captain Jordan ($4) added hopples and trotted to victory in 1:57.3, a neck ahead of Beer In My Hand (Wilder), who has one prelim win, with Rico Tubbs (Wrenn), with two prelim wins, third. The winning Scott Di Domenico trainee has also won a PA All-Stars race for owners Joe Faraldo and Triple D Stables Inc.

Greenshoe’s Stallion Series success came with Armani Blue Chip (dam Defiantsnowfashion), the only non-favourite to win in a stake all night, as he broke his maiden in 1:58.2 while defeating Storm Hanover (Wilder) by a half-length for trainer Jared Bako and Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc. Tolentine (Brady Brown) completed the ticket. The win price was $12.60.

The other Stallion Series winner was the International Moni-Cherokee Hope gelding Cherokee Chief ($3.80), who rallied a long way to catch Bayside Cue (Brandon Givens) by a head while posting a maiden mark of 1:58.1 for driver Boyd, trainer David Wiest, and owner Bimmie Strausser. Kiefer (Jim Pantaleano) was third.

In other action, John Calabrese won a $13,699 trotting race for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) with his own trainee Cal Miles N Shell ($2.40) leading every step of the way in a 1:53.3 mile.

Pocono will present cards on Monday and Tuesday with a 1 p.m. first post each day. Then, on Saturday, comes the biggest day of the year at the mountain oval, Sun Stakes Saturday, featuring the top three-year-olds in North America and sporting Invitationals on each gait with more than $2 million USD in purses. The entries for Sun Stakes Saturday will be available Monday afternoon.

(With files from PHHA/Pocono & AHDC)