Kinesiology was the fastest winner in the six $27,027 divisions of the first prelim of the Bobby Weiss Series on a gorgeous Tuesday, April 9 afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, while U.S. Hall Of Fame driver David Miller accounted for three divisions of the initial round for three-year-old trotting fillies.
The Walner filly Kinesiology had all her muscles moving in the correct fashion as she stopped the timer in 1:55 to remain undefeated after two 2024 starts after getting blanked as a freshman. Michael Burke conditions the improved filly for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Beasty LLC, Lawrence Karr and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby.
Miller brought two Tactical Landing misses to lifetime bests: Tactical Lori (1:55.2) for trainer Nifty Norman and owners Melvin Hartman and Enzed Racing Stable Inc. in her second consecutive visit to Victory Lane, and Mantacular (1:56), successful in her seasonal bow for trainer Daniel Renaud and Glengate Farms. The leading money-winner among active drivers added a third Weiss win with the Walner miss Elista Hanover, whose 1:55.3 matched her previous best win clocking from a qualifier, for trainer Annie Stoebe, co-owner with R. Lynn and Philomena Curry.
Braxten Boyd, who drove a winner in each series competition en route to four triumphs on the day, guided the Father Patrick miss Happy Chopper to a new mark of 1:56.1 in her first race of the year for trainer Mark Harder, co-owner with Dean Lockhart and Denna Rachel Frost.
Sire Walner picked up a second Weiss credit with Tove Palema for the driver-trainer, husband-wife team of Andy and Julie Miller, who had won with three sophomore trotting fillies at the Philly qualifiers earlier in the day. Andy Miller Stable Inc. shares ownership of the winner in her sophomore debut with Patrick Hoopes and Mortgage Boys Stable.
The trot-heavy card also featured six $23,649 divisions of the second round of the Game Of Claims Trotting Series, with the entrants this week base-tagged at $37,162. One division produced the fastest trot mile of the year at Pocono, 1:53.1, from the rampaging Kadabra gelding Fight Song and driver Anthony Napolitano, also giving the winner a lifetime best. Fight Song was joined in changing hands post-race after remaining undefeated in two series starts by Passionate Promise (Ridge Warren, a new mark of 1:55).
Two other trotters kept their series scorecard perfect in two series starts, and they both went back to familiar surroundings: Vegas Ticket (1:55.4, giving Anthony Napolitano two Game Of Claims wins) and Kinnder Thinktwice (Simon Allard, 1:55.1). Of the eight horses claimed after the first leg, only Louscardamon (Braxten Boyd, equalling his mark of 1:54.4) won for his new connections. The other Game Of Claims trot went to Yes (George Napolitano, 1:55.1).
The pacers had their moment of glory in the trotfest as the Heston Blue Chip mare Forgot Thewallet A won her third straight, and in the process, posted Pocono’s quickest mile of the year at 1:51, for Braxten Boyd, trainer Maria Rice and Team Rice Racing LLC.
The wall-to-wall action continues at Pocono on Saturday, April 13 at 1 p.m., with 10 $20,000 USD divisions of the Weiss Series second preliminary for three-year-old pacers -- six for males and four for females.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono)