The John Simpson Sr. Memorial Stakes series continued on Saturday, Oct. 25 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with three-year-old colts and geldings racing in three divisions on each gait while chasing a total of $272,127.
The trotting event, known as the Ayres, was highlighted by the 1:52.1 mile turned in by the Face Time Bourbon-Im Really Special colt Gap Kronos S ($2.80), who was driven by George Napolitano Jr. for owner Bruni Racing Team Inc. in the $42,254 second split. Gap Kronos S had to race first-over from before the half but came home in a speedy :28 to score by two lengths ahead of 74-1 shot Onemore Volo (Matt Kakaley), followed by Lefties Righties (Brett Beckwith).
Gap Kronos S is trained by Åke Svanstedt, who sent out another Ayres winner in the Walner-Cant Have My Moni gelding Dont Ask For More ($5.80) in the $42,254 third division. The second choice sat on the back of favoured pacesetter Karinchak (Kakaley), then came up the inside and caught the leader by a neck in 1:54.1 for driver Johnathan Ahle and the owning partnership of Åke Svanstedt Inc., Nils Munkhaugen, Barry Carter, and Michael Carter. Manoah (Beckwith) was third.
The Greenshoe-Sensibility gelding Sensational ($15.20), who overcame a break to win upon coming to Pocono in his last start, made it two straight victories over the mountain oval, never looking back to score in a lifetime-best 1:53.2 in the $42,254 first Ayres division. Kakaley took the lines for trainer George Ducharme, whose George Ducharme Stable LLC co-owns the gelding with W.J. Donovan. Had Sensational looked back late, he would have seen the chalk Onejetplane (Niko Karna) to his right and Warrior (Ahle) to his left, but he won by a neck over the former, who photoed the latter for second.
Pocono’s all-time leading driver George Napolitano Jr. had the fastest winner in the Ayres trot, and he also was behind the swiftest of the Albatross pacing winners, World Of Wishes ($6.20). The Bettors Wish-Peak Of Chic gelding quarter-moved to command in the $48,831 third division, then paced his back half in :55 to complete a 1:50.4 mile a length ahead of Beach Club Monty (Jack Pelling), with Joel And The Jets (Kakaley) third. Chris Ryder trains the winner for Philip Steinberg.
The other two Albatross divisions were taken by altered sons of Papi Rob Hanover. First to the winner's circle was 15-1 outsider Dreamboat Hanover ($32.40), who moved with cover behind a fast pace and then fired to a three-length victory in 1:51.1 in the $48,268 first split. The meet’s leading driver, Tyler Buter, piloted the gelding out of Dagnabit Hanover for trainer Todd Schadel, who shares ownership with his wife Christine, Timothy Hayes, and Dr. Megan Moschgat. Namaste Hanover (Colin Kelly) was second, followed by Sweet Parlay (Braxten Boyd).
Also successful in the Albatross was the people’s choice Makes Sense ($3.20), who got great cover from Gold Glove Hanover (Anthony Napolitano) then came home in :27.2 to out-kick that rival by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:51.3 in the $48,268 second split. Jack Pelling handled the winner, out of Freakonomics, for trainer Robert Cleary and owners Let It Ride Stables Inc., Celtic Racing, and Carl Howard. Gold Glove Hanover edged out Captain Fear (George Napolitano Jr.) for place.
There were six stakes races on the 15-race Saturday card, and the majority of the non-stakes were won by one driver – and a driver not even a regular at Pocono. Brett Beckwith, who is in top form ahead of representing the U.S. in the World Driving Championship in New Zealand next month, won with Spindoctor Hanover ($16.60), Prospectors Gold ($17.80), Pink Floyd Hanover ($15.40), Hello Gorgeous ($5.20) and Magnifico Hanover ($4). Beckwith, the 2024 Dan Patch Rising Star Award recipient, has 517 wins this season and a strike rate of 21.1 per cent.
Scott Keppler snatched the win in the closing strides of a $14,085 race for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) with his own six-year-old trotter Get Some Cash ($11.60), trained by Joe Pavia Jr. The Cash Hall-Chatterly Hall gelding was a repeat AHDC winner in 1:56.2.
For the third program in a row, Pocono had a winner pay more than $50. The one on Saturday was Literl Lad Hanover, who scored for trainer Dean Eckley and paid $84.20. The “Lad” was driven by Simon Allard, who registered an $84.80 win with Jaffa Josh N a day earlier at Philly.
Literl Lad Hanover triumphed in the final race of the Pick 5 wager, which undoubtedly contributed to that wager going unsolved. The money will carry over to Monday’s fifth race, and there will be a $4,000 guaranteed pool for that wager. The Simpson Stakes will conclude for 2025 on Monday with three-year-old fillies in the spotlight, vying for a combined $190,000 USD in the Davida Hanover for trotters and Razzle Hanover for pacers.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono & AHDC)