Sweet Beach Life was the fastest winner during a chilly 13-race qualifying session on Wednesday morning, March 18 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

Sweet Beach Life recorded his second straight qualifying win at Pocono in preparation for this five-year-old season, winning in 1:52 flat -- the same time he posted winning an Open event at Yonkers Raceway in his last start back in October. Here Matt Kakaley sent the stakes-winning son of Sweet Lou to the lead in :28, yielded to his Travis Alexander stablemate Howlenthehills (Ridge Warren) but was back for the retake before the :56.1 half. Jackson Cooper (Fern Paquet Jr.) pressed the winner uncovered to three-quarters in 1:24.1, but Sweet Beach Life had enough in reserve to hold off an inside charge from millionaire Holwenthehills by 1-1/2 lengths, with the same margin back to third-place Jackson Cooper.

On the trot, Jason Bartlett combined with five-year-old former Weiss Series winner Blackhawk Zette for one of this four winning drives as the son of Cantab Hall overcame the outside post eight and won by 4-3/4 lengths in 1:55.2, swiftest of the day for that gait. Trainer Bob Baggitt Jr. also sent out 1:56.2 qualifying winner Whats The Talk, driven by Ridge Warren.

The other trainer to win twice during the morning's qualifying action was Anette Lorentzon, with the Barlett-driven three-year-old maidens Jewels Shadow AS in 1:54.4 and Captainforlife AS in 2:00.4.

Many of the horses in the Pocono morning session were prepping for this season's Weiss Series for three-year-olds, starting in early April. Among these sophomores, the quickest mile was from the pacer American Cheese, an American Ideal filly who blitzed home in :55.4 with a :27 last quarter to win in 1:54.1 by 6-1/2 lengths for Bartlett and trainer Jared Bako.

Braxten Boyd was right behind Bartlett on Wednesday with three victories, including with two Weiss eligibles: the unraced International Moni colt Dilly Hanover in 1:59.2 for trainer Emily Bost and the Greenshoe filly Shelooksgoodngreen from the Jenny Melander stable in a new mark of 1:58.2.

The other Weiss eligible who won on Wednesday was the Always B Miki colt Twin B Thriller, who came from last at the half to win in 1:55.1 for driver George Napolitano Jr. and trainer Dennis Laterza. 

(With files from PHHA/Pocono)