The favourites had a rough time of it in each of the two $66,972 divisions of the Davidia Hanover, the John Simpson Sr. Memorial stake for two-year-old trotting fillies, on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
Photo finishes went to an 11-1 shot (the second choice) over a 21-1 proposition in one cut and a horse sent off at 7-1 just ahead of a 12-1 shot in the other section.
The Captain Corey-Angel Eyes Hanover filly Andersson Hanover ($24.20) stayed undefeated in her four lifetime Pocono starts while taking a new mark of 1:56.2 in the quicker division. Patrick Ryder, driving for his father, trainer Chris Ryder, and owner John McKeon Jr., moved the victorious filly to the lead past the quarter in :28.1, but her supremacy looked to be in jeopardy as 1-9 favourite Pattys Girl (Tyler Buter) came uncovered early in the backstretch and got fractionally ahead. But the first-up freshman soon lapsed from gait past a :57.2 half, leaving Andersson Hanover a clear path through the 1:26.4 three-quarters to the finish. She maintained her lead by half a length over the late hard charge of Declan Shea (Simon Allard), with Cabaletta Hanover (Matt Kakaley) third. Andersson Hanover is now four-for-seven lifetime.
The Tactical Landing-Made it Happen miss Im A Hugger ($16) left, yielded before a :29 quarter, then came uncovered past the half in :58.1 against favoured pacesetter Daringly (Tyler Buter). The duo battled through three-quarters in 1:27.2, and in the lane it was Im A Hugger who forged to command, then hugged on to the lead strongly to withstand Eternal Light (Ridge Warren) by a neck in 1:56.3, a lifetime record. Oneiromancer (Jonathan Ahle) completed the top three. Braxten Boyd guided the winning freshman filly for trainer Ray Schnittker and owners Daisy Acres and Vincent Ali Jr. Im A Hugger recorded her second tally in her 10th lifetime outing.
Pony Chrome ($2.10), who won the Buckette before taking her Illinois championship two days later on Sept. 26, returned after three weeks away to extend her winning streak to five in a $20,423 conditioned event for up-and-coming trotters. Making her debut for trainer Ron Burke, the Southwind Chrome-Cordele As sophomore cut the fractions of :28.3, :57.2 and 1:26.3 en route to a 2-1/4-length win in 1:55 with Tyler Buter at the lines. Arella Hanover (Jim Pantaleano) was second, followed by Chuppah Hanover (Braxten Boyd). The winning filly, now owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Yannick Gingras and FAC Racing LLC, is eight-for-25 lifetime.
Two-year-old male trotters competed in a $22,535 overnight event, with the Greenshoe-Fashion Spooner colt Black Tesla ($3.40) rewarding the bettors’ faith in him with an authoritative victory in 1:56.3, the clocking a lifetime best as he won his second straight start. With a :28.2 last panel, the winner extended his lead from a half-length at the stretch call to 8-1/2 lengths at the finish for driver Ridge Warren, trainer Nicklas Andersen and owner Wayne Stoltzfus.
Meet driving leader Tyler Buter notched three victories on the 14-race card, including one for top trainer Ron Burke. His daily total was one behind Pocono’s second-leading driver for the meet, Anthony Napolitano.
Racing at Pocono resumes on Saturday at 1 p.m. Featured will be a $27,500 USD Winners Over Handicap Pace which will contain the winners of this class for the last four weeks: Always A Thrill, Ruthless Hanover, Jolimont N, and Splash Brother. Bettors will find a Superfecta carryover in the first race of the day and a double carryover of $4,337 in the High 5 in the last race of the day.
(PHHA/Pocono)