Trainer fathers and their driver sons combined to win half of the six $28,571 divisions of the first preliminary leg of the Bobby Weiss Series for three-year-old pacing males on a warm Saturday, March 29 afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
The fastest mile was turned in by Team Ryder, trainer Chris and driver Patrick, as the Bettors Wish gelding World Of Wishes (pictured above) turned in as tough a maiden-breaking win in his second lifetime start as you are likely to see, stopping the clock in 1:51. World Of Wishes, owned by Philip Steinberg, pushed the two favourites well past a :26.4 opener before allowing both to get by, then was right back uncovered nearing the :55.1 half. On a day where the wind gave horses a push down the backstretch, World Of Wishes reclaimed command with a :26.4 brush, passing by a 1:22.2 three-quarters, and drawing off late to win by three lengths at 10-1.
Even though he had the fastest mark in the field (1:53.2), another altered son of Bettors Wish, Cover The Spread, was allowed to go off at 40-1 in his seasonal bow. Oldfield Racing's pacer rallied from the two-hole to catch 12-1 Atta Boy Abe, the second longest-priced horse in the field, to win in 1:54.3 by a neck for the father and son training and driving duo of Tyler and Todd Buter.
Tyler Buter went on to win two other Weiss divisions, one of them at 14-1 with the Betting Line gelding Flight In Motion, who overcame a first-over trip to lower his mark to 1:52, decisioning Federer by a half-length for trainer Eddie Dennis and the partnership of Mulligan Stables and Jason Johnson Inc. His other sulky success was with one of the three Weiss favourites who won, the Captain Crunch gelding Captain Conan, who led at every call while breaking his maiden in 1:52.4 for trainer Robert Cleary and owner Robert Corrigan.
Team Pelling – trainer Brett and driver Jack – were the third father/son pairing to visit Victory Lane, as the Papi Rob Hanover gelding Gold Glove Hanover wheeled right back in after racing on Tuesday and promptly reduced his mark in 1:52.1. He punched back tenaciously after being passed by brusher Jackson Cooper and achieving a head margin for Pelling Racing while going his own back half in :54.4.
Another Weiss winner was the only winning colt, Ooglesville, a son of Huntsville and a consistent horse in the New York Sire Stakes at two, making every pole a winning one in his return while recording his first race win in 1:53. Zip Time was a half-length in back of the winner that was driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer Per Engblom and Morrison Racing Stables.
Three 1:50 winners on the card were Virgo, the fastest at 1:49.2 for driver Simon Allard, and a pair who took lifetime marks for driver Anthony Napolitano, Southwind Celsius (1:50) and Rose Run Zeke (1:49.3). Napolitano had five successes overall on the 16-race card while Tyler Buter’s triple moved him to the top in the local seasonal standings.
Racing will continue at the Downs on Monday and Tuesday at 1 p.m. Monday’s card will contain the first prelim of the Weiss Series for three-year-old trotting males, along with a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager, while on Tuesday the championship of a Game Of Claims Pacing Series will go postward.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono)