Driver Mike Simons guided two of the three divisional winners in the $15,000 first prelim of the Bobby Weiss Series for trotting mares Tuesday, April 3 over a ‘sloppy’ surface at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
Myrna Myrna made her first start in two-and-a-half months a successful one, winning her division in a career best 1:57.4 with Simons in the bike. Despite having to go first over in the backstretch, Myrna Myrna was able to draw away by two-and-one-quarter lengths over Girl Crush, finishing second in her career debut. The victorious four-year-old daughter of Chapter Seven competes for owner Timothy Betts.
Simons also had to go the uncovered route with the Donato Hanover filly Ms American Muscle, winning the second cut in her seasonal debut. She overtook tempo-setting Baby Wants home by three-quarters lengths while lowering her lifetime mark to 1:59.2 for trainer Jenny Melander and owner John Devito.
Miss Ruby wired the field at 7-5 in the third division, outlasting pocket-sitting white-horse Via Lattea IT to win by a head in 1:59.2. Simon Allard was in the sulky behind the four-year-old Cantab Hall mare trained by Kelvin Harrison and the Spaaaartners ownership.
In the $14,000 co-feature for mare pacers, trainer Brianne Good scored her first-ever Pocono victory, and the third of her four-month conditioning career, when driver Jim Taggart Jr. was able to rally the Well Said mare Shutthefrontdoor from last at the half to win in 1:54 and light up the tote board, paying $51.80 to win. The victorious mare, owned by Guy Beaulieu and Richard Villenueve, won by two lengths.
(With files from The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono)