The fourth and final preliminary leg of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for three-year-old pacing fillies was held at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Friday night (Aug. 8), with all three favourites winning and some idea of the Stallion Series Championship qualifiers developing.

In the first cut, Somenicebeach made easy work of her career stakes debut by leading at every call en route to taking a new mark of 1:52. McVita Bella was second to the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, who was guided by Pocono’s leading driver George Napolitano Jr. for trainer Chris Oakes and owner Susan Oakes.

Jim Morrill Jr. was in the sulky behind the other two winners, first with the Real Desire filly Real Drama, who was a pocket rocket in reducing her speed tab to 1:52.3. Kelly O’Donnell conditions the winning filly for the Bay Pond Racing Stable.

Real Drama won her cut by three lengths. Morrill had much harder work in the third division, as he and the Well Said filly Lucys Pearl rallied gamely from the two-hole to edge stubborn pacesetter Beach Body by a half-length in the fastest time, 1:50.4. “Trotting Guru” Ron Gurfein may train more pacers if he continues to bring out tough misses like this one, who is owned by Gurfein in partnership with Elizabeth Novak.

Unofficial figures put the following point standings (based on a 35-25-15-10-8-5-4-2-1 distribution) for the PA Stallion Series three-year-old pacing fillies as follows: 1. McVita Bella, 120; 2. Lucys Pearl, 105; 3. Eiffel Tower, 4. Real Drama (both had 95 points, but Eiffel Tower wins the money tiebreaker -- $25,000 to $21,600); 5. Do Your Job, 6. Stucklikeglue (both with 70 points, Do Your Job with more money -- $20,000 to $12,200); 7. Beach Body, 65; 8. Baby Cat, 64; tie 9. Marathon Day and Oogle Google (both tied at both 60 points and $15,000 in earnings; if needed to split them, there would be a shake of the pills). The top nine declaring in will advance to the Stallion Series Championship, to be held at The Meadows on September 9.

(PHHA)