Trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt picked up wins in three of the five John Simpson Sr. Memorial stakes races held on Monday (Oct. 16) afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
Svanstedt’s trainees won two of the three $30,400 splits for three-year-old trotting fillies (The Elma) and one of two $54,750 divisions of the two-year-old pacing colts and geldings (The Bret Hanover).
Even more impressive were the facts that those were the only three starters Svanstedt had on the day and that only one of them was favoured to win. Svanstedt’s winners were three-year-old trotting fillies Gigi Hanover (the lone favourite), in a group best 1:54.2 on a track listed in 'good' condition at Pocono, and On The House in 1:55.3, as well as two-year-old pacing gelding Captain Skippy in 1:52.3, also a group best.
Woolco, trained by Bob Krivelin and driven by Dexter Dunn, won the remaining three-year-old trotting filly division in 1:55.4. Cult Classic, trained by Noel Daley and driven by Todd McCarthy, won the other division for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:53.2.
Simpson stakes action continues on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at Pocono with four $30,000 divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies (The Hardie Hanover) and three $43,100 splits for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings (The Super Bowl). There are 14 races on the Pocono card, with first post time at 1 p.m.
(Pocono)