With stakes season just around the corner, a number of high profile horses are making their way back to the track. Many of those stars were in action Thursday morning during qualifiers at Pocono Downs.
Bolt The Duer edged out Lucan Hanover by a head in their qualifier. Bolt The Duer was hustled to the lead by Mark MacDonald and successfully sliced out splits of :30.1, :58.2 and 1:26.4 before roaring home in :27.2 to fend off Lucan Hanover.
It was the second qualifying win of the year for Bolt The Duer, a career winner in excess of $1.7 million. Driver Mark MacDonald stated on his Twitter account “Bolt The Duer sharp again today, one more fast qualifier next week then the first leg of TVG at The Meadowlands. Came back great.”
Lucan Hanover, a career winner of $529,553, was making his first appearance since last November’s second-place finish in the $176,000 Windy City Pace at Maywood Park.
Sometimes Said, who capped off his rookie year with a second-place finish in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Final, returned to the scene of that rich payday and won his first qualifier of the year in 1:53.4 for the Campbell brothers – trainer Jim and driver John.
The three-year-old son of Well Said-Lady Sometimes manufactured a 1-7-1 record last year while banking $291,611 in the process for Fashion Farms LLC of New Hope, Pennsylvania.
Social Scene, who went 7-for-16 last season, blazed to a 1:55.1 triumph in her first prep of the season for trainer Casie Coleman. The NYSS champion drew clear to win by 16-1/2 lengths for the Canadian partnership of West Wins Stable, Steve Calhoun and Mac Nichol.
The four-year-old daughter of American Ideal-On The Catwalk has banked just shy of $300,000 to date.
Classic Martine, the runner-up in last year’s $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks Final, front-stepped to a 1:55 victory in what was her first charted line of the season for trainer Chris Oakes. Mark MacDonald had her on the lead through middle panels of :59 and 1:27.4 before accelerating home in :27.4 to win by 11 lengths.
The four-year-old daughter of Classic Photo-Drinking Days is owned by Hauser Bros Rcng Ent Llc, Susan Oakes, Conrad Zurich and Edwin Gold. The partners have watched the trotting star bank $542,474 to date.
Thursday’s other qualifying winners were Secluded Beach (1:56.3), Ideal Fashion (1:54.4), Wannabearockstar (2:01.3), Stretch Cunningham (2:00.1), RAs Shakinthtbacon (1:59), Western Conquest (1:55.4) and Sandestin Hanover (1:54.)