The last stakes in the 2026 John Simpson Sr. Memorial series, for sophomore females on both gaits, were conducted in three $42,254 divisions per gait on Monday afternoon, Oct. 26 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

All three favourites won in the trotting ranks. The most impressive of the winners was the Chapter Seven-Irish Melody FR filly My Philomene, who after winning in stakes company at Yonkers (twice), Monticello, Philadelphia and Tioga, added a sixth straight victory to her tally in a new mark of 1:51.4, missing the local divisional track record of Yo Tillie by only two ticks. Trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer moved the filly to command past the :26.4 quarter, maintained a 1-1/4 length advantage over pocket9sitting Sparks (Ake Svanstedt) past the half (:55.2) and three-quarters (1:24), then at the stretch call and the finish. The streaking winner is owned by Melady Enterprises of Boynton Beach, Florida. Sparks followed in second and I Take The Cake (Matt Kakaley) took third place.

The Tactical Landing-Call Me Bi IT distaff Isabella Bi captured another division in 1:53.1, leading at every position and notching a winning margin of 5-1/4 lengths. Driver/trainer Åke Svanstedt, through his Åke Svanstedt LLC, co-owns the winner with Joe Sbrocco And Jaf Racing of Staten Island, New York, Little E of New York City, New York and Lars Olsson of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Shemightbetheone (Matt Kakaley) edged out Be Mine Hanover (Anthony Napolitano) in the race for place.

Team Svanstedt went 1-2-4 in the other Simpson trot division, as Svanstedt guided Maya Patel Hanover to a wire-to-wire win in 1:54.4, three parts of a length ahead of barnmate Whatarace Hanover (Tyler Buter), with Just Teasing (Tyler Miller) third. The daughter of Captain Corey-My First Last is owned by Åke Svanstedt Inc. of Wrightstown, New Jersey and Brittany Farms of Versailles, Kentucky.

Only one of the three chalks prevailed in the pacing divisions, and that one, the Always B Miki-A Beach Cowgirl filly Sandyboots Yankee, tied for fastest Simpson winner of the day at 1:51.3. Pocono’s leading driver Tyler Buter gave a well-judged drive, sitting last in a field of five behind a hot pace, then out-finishing the horse who backed off the rail to follow her, Existential (Matt Kakaley), by a head. Pocono’s top trainer Ron Burke conditions the winner, who was back in action following her Jugette outing a month ago for owners Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Lawrence Karr of Boca Raton, Florida and Phillip Collura of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania. Ideal Beauty Queen (Braxten Boyd) rounded out the top three finish order.

The 1:51.3 clocking was also posted by the American Ideal-L Dee Lioness filly Lenna, controlling the pace and stepping home in :54.4 and :27.1. Anthony Napolitano sulkysat for trainer Deborah Daguet and owner Forrest Bartlett of Shiloh, North Carolina, who 40 years ago campaigned U.S. Horse of the Year Forrest Skipper. Favoured She B Minnie (Jason Bartlett) finished 1-1/2 lengths behind in second with Big Weekend (Matt Kakaley) third.

Just a tick off the other two Simpson pacing winners was the Papi Rob Hanover-Make Mine Mocha filly Make It Right, who used the famed Pocono Pike to catch the favoured front-stepper, Vanna By The River (Cory Stratton), by a half length. Jason Bartlett had the sulky seat for trainer Jim King Jr. and owners Gary McCandless of Howell, New Jersety, Jo Ann Looney-King of Harrington, Delaware and Larry Rathbone of Lake Worth, Florida. Third prize went to Greenstreet (Jack Pelling).

(With files from PHHA/Pocono; photo of Make It Right winning on Oct. 26)