Shalom Hanover extended his perfect career record to six-for-six with a dramatic victory over the heretofore undefeated Starstruck Dreamer in their $416,667 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) Championship showdown on Monday, Sept. 7 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

The freshman Papi Rob Hanover-Sammys Magic Girl colt, trained by Dr. Ian Moore, tied the divisional track record — which he previously equalled in his lifetime mark taken on an Aug. 3 leg of the PASS. The time was the fastest on the 14-race card, which featured the $416,667 PASS championships and $69,444 consolations for each gait and sex of two-year-olds.

The post position draw, with Shalom Hanover getting post one and Starstruck Dreamer post eight — post seven after a scratch — appeared to give an edge for the former. But the Pocono bettors still sent off Starstruck Dreamer at 50 cents on the dollar and Shalom Hanover at even money.

Shalom Hanover took immediate control from the rail, with Eastie Boy away well but tucking behind the inside starter as Ronnie Wrenn Jr. realized it would be “the big two” doing the work. Louis-Philippe Roy and Shalom Hanover pushed away hard with a :26.3 split, with Starstruck Hanover (Todd McCarthy) having no viable option but to press on and take his chances setting the pace.

The middle fractions went in :54 and 1:21.3, with everybody’s eyes still on the front duo. Shalom Hanover went to Starstruck Dreamer’s left in the lane, and for a second it looked like his late thrust might not get him there, but the trip proved decisive in deep stretch, with Shalom Hanover garnering a head decision over his big rival. Eastie Boy took third. 

"In the race, post position definitely made a big difference," Roy said after the win. "We used the luck of the draw to our advantage — we made it work that way. These horses will meet again, and it could be another great matchup."

The winner is owned by Shalom Hanover Stable of Cambridge, Ont. Shalom Hanover, who won the Tompkins-Geers, Dream Maker and a division of the Nassagaweya at Woodbine Mohawk Park this season, has now earned $432,891. 

His next major engagement provides an opportunity to build that resume and bankroll considerably.

“Shalom Hanover will be going to the Metro (Pace) now," Roy said. "That was the target for him.”

He paid $4.20 to win.

Lounado ($4) was one of three PASS consolation winners who just missed out on a Championship starting spot by finishing ninth in the point standings. In the consolation for two-year-old male pacers, the son of Sweet Lou-Lucys Pearl exploded out of the pocket through the stretch for driver Matt Kakaley and was by himself at the end of his 1:52 victory for a new mark. Lounado, coming off a win in the Parshall Futurity at Greenville (Ohio), is trained by Todd Luther and owned by Greg Luther Racing LLC.

Pacing Fillies

Despite winning all three of her PASS starts to be the top prelim point winner, the Captain Crunch-Jk Shesalady filly Jk Lady Liberty was second choice in the betting, but she was victorious while taking a new mark of 1:51.1, benefitting from a clever drive by Scott Zeron.

The early fractions of :27 and :55.2, with Aestas (Corey Callahan) finally claiming the top, did not much involve the two choices as My Taylors Swift (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), the Kentucky shipper and favourite, tucked fourth on the first turn ahead of Jk Lady Liberty.

My Taylors Swift went up to the 1:23 three-quarters to challenge the leader two-wide on the turn, meanwhile Zeron, after following the chalk’s cover, maneuvered back to the inside after the pocket horse gave way. Jk Lady Liberty was the fresher horse in the last eighth of a mile, steaming up the inside for a fairly easy triumph by 1-1/2 lengths. Loyal To The End (Andrew McCarthy) and Gold Impact (Mike Wilder) were along to be second and third respectively, ahead of My Taylors Swift.

Jk Lady Liberty, after finishing second in her career bow, has reeled off five straight wins, looking like a seasoned professional on the track while racking up $340,063 in earnings. She is trained by Nancy Takter for 3 Brothers Stables, who also raced her dam, the 2014 U.S. Horse of the Year at two. The win price was $4.80.

The Captaintreacherous-Jolly Miss Molly filly Love Somebody ($15), another who had just missed out on her division's Championship, had to take the difficult uncovered route from sixth, challenging pacesetting favourite Fauvette Hanover (Scott Zeron) in the consolation. In the end, Love Somebody proved to be the strong horse, breaking her maiden in 1:53.4. Yannick Gingras was in the sulky for trainer Linda Toscano and the ownership of Country Club Acres Inc. and Joe Sbrocco.

Trotting Colts And Geldings

Recently elected Hall of Famer Åke Svanstedt sent out the first three finishers in the trotting colt championship, with favoured Jimdougie Armitage working his way by Big Time Trot S late off a pocket trip in 1:55, equalling his mark.      

Jimdougie Armitage had the early lead with Svanstedt driving; Yannick Gingras with Big Time Trot S eyed a three-hole tuck, then decided to press forward past the :28.2 quarter for command. He set middle fractions of :56.4 and 1:25.4, and point-leader Dream Shaq (Dexter Dunn) had been out the mile and began to fade, but Jimdougie Armitage looked fresh after the garden journey.

The pacesetter had some trot left as well, and for much of the stretch the 8-1 leader looked capable of withstanding the challenge. But the Pocono surface was not helping pacesetters on this day, and Jimdougie Armitage persisted and finally was a head more photogenic. Yankee Boss (Tim Tetrick) came a long way to be third, missing first by only a neck, and completed the Svanstedt triactor.

Jimdougie Armitage has now won his last three races, the previous two first-over and now this one after the fine journey.  His ownership reads S R F Stable, Knutsson Trotting Inc., Brochart Stable Inc. and Svanstedt & Midnight Sun. The million-dollar yearling has now earned $309,121 with three victories in five outings. He paid $2.80 to win.

The Greenshoe-Fashion Spooner colt Black Tesla ($7) joined a backstretch two-wide flow third-over, then ducked inside for the stretch rather than fan wider, and that strategy worked well for driver Ridge Warren as the Nicklas Andersen trainee used the famous Pocono Pike for a 1:57.4 consolation victory, catching favoured Southern Hanover (Tim Tetrick). Wayne Stoltzfus owns the winner.

Trotting Fillies

The Captain Corey-Melania filly Birr Castle had been odds-on in all four of her previous pari-mutuel starts, with three wins and a second, and a 3-2-1-0 Sire Stakes prelim scorecard that put her first in the point standings.

But Orinoco (Yannick Gingras), who beat her last week, was entered, as was Two Day Hangover (Dexter Dunn), her stablemate in Team Melander who was unbeaten in three career starts, including two PASS wins, and Birr Castle did have to start from the outside post six. The crowd let her get away as the 5-1 third choice, and Birr Castle bounced back from her Aug. 17 defeat to capture her Championship, with the 1:53.4 time equalling not only her own mark but also the Championship record for her division, set by Ginger Tree Lex last year.

Pattys Girl (Tyler Buter) took early control, but Orinoco in second and Two Day Hangover in third loomed, and after the :27.4 quarter Orinoco first moved to the top, with Two Day Hangover on her heels and taking over the racetrack past the :56.1 half. Shortly after that, Birr Castle got underway from last for driver Scott Zeron.

Birr Castle had a relentless forward gear and kept gaining to the 1:24.4 three-quarters and through the turn, and Orinoco was ready for more from the two-hole in the stretch. Faced with pressure from both sides, Two Day Hangover gave a bit of ground, and in the dash to the wire, Birr Castle proved three-quarters of a length better over Orinoco for trainer Marcus Melander and Pheasant Hill Farm. Two Day Hangover finished third. The win for Birr Castle brought her career earnings to $327,899.

Another competitor who just missed out on a spot in her final by finishing ninth in the point standings, the Captain Corey-Caviart Jenny filly Cabaletta Hanover ($3.40) got a nice consolation prize: winning her consolation in a lifetime-best 1:56.1. Matt Kakaley got her into gear in the second half and kept her gaining until she made the lead, coasting home for trainer Emily Bost. She co-owns the colt with Steve Salerno, who has taken win crowns in both training and driving at Pocono and also was a UDR champ.

Winners Over Trot 

Hustle Rain S (Svanstedt) set fast fractions of :26.3, :54.3, and 1:22.3 in his first U.S. start, but favoured Dame Good Time had him in his sights, and the Chapter Seven-Dame Du Lac gelding went by the impressive newcomer by three parts of a length with a 1:50.4 victory in the $38,194 Winners Over Handicap Trot. Tuis Angel (Tim Tetrick) circled up for third, well back of the top two. Dexter Dunn drove the winning five-year-old gelding for trainer Nicholas Devita and owner John Cummins. Dame Good Time is now 14-for-39 lifetime with $949,701 in earnings. He paid $2.60 to win.

Pocono will now take a short reconditioning break – there will be no live racing on Saturday, Sept. 12 or Monday, Sept. 14. The next racing card will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 15, which will be drawn on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

(PHHA/Pocono)