Three three-year-olds, all well-pedigreed but all maidens at two, may show more sign of their bloodlines at three if wins during the Wednesday, April 16 qualifiers at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania are any indication.
The Cantab Hall-Nicoles Promise colt Hatfield, a full brother to the $2.2 million winner T C I, moved to the lead down the backstretch and went on to win in 1:57.2. Driver Jason Bartlett was successful three times during the morning session, and the trotter was one of two winning teamings of Bartlett and trainer Andrew Harris.
The other Bartlett/Harris success came with the filly Treacheryinthedark, a daughter of Captaintreacherous-Rainbowinthedark and a three-quarter sister to the millionaire Seven Colors. Treacheryinthedark gained through most of the last half and stepped her last quarter in :28.1 in posting a 1:56.2 victory.
Fastest of all the sophomores on the day was the Always B Miki-My Lady Love gelding Lifeblood, whose second dam produced millionaires American Jewel and Luck Be Withyou. Lifeblood put out a back half of :56.3 to triumph in 1:54.3 for driver Braxten Boyd and trainer Hunter Oakes.
The Sweet Lou-Flirtswell gelding No Tresspassing was not a maiden entering the day – he took a mark of 1:51.1 winning a Simpson Stakes here last year. He just missed tying the fastest three-year-old clocking by a tick, producing :27.4 final quarter speed in winning for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Deborah Daguet.
The fastest of all the winners in the morning set was the veteran Always A Virgin-Star Of The Show gelding Virgo, who came home in :54.3 to win in 1:53 to give Oakes another success on the day and complete Bartlett’s triple.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono; photo of Hatfield as a yearling)