Despite making their first starts of 2014, Canadian-owned Tellitlikeitis and Somestarsomewhere delivered stellar winning performances Saturday night in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for three-year-old colts and geldings on the pace at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
There were four Sire Stakes divisions held on the night, with purses ranging from $66,363 to $66,763.
Tellitlikeitis (Well Said-Kikikatie) was making his first start since November, yet a pocket trip led to a rally in the passing lane for the victory by three-quarters of a length over Limelight Beach. Brett Miller was aboard Tellitlikeitis, the 6-5 second choice who took a new mark of 1:49.1, for trainer Jimmy Takter and owner/breeder Lothlorien of Cheltenham, Ont. Seventh Secret finished third, while 3-5 favourite Sometimes Said finished off the board in fifth.
Somestarsomewhere (Somebeachsomewhere-Lovely Assistant) had been laid off since a third in the Breeders Crown at Pocono in October. Yet he went off as the 1-2 favourite in his split and delivered on that promise, taking the lead at the three-eighth-mile marker and gamely winning a thrilling stretch battle with half-brother Somewhere In L A by a nose in 1:50.3. Matt Kakaley drove for trainer Ron Burke. Blooming Genius finished third.
The duo of Kakaley and Burke also scored a Sire Stakes victory with 10-1 longshot At Press Time (Western Terror-So Right). He was coming off a fourth-place finish in overnight action at Pocono in his previous start, but he found the pocket behind pacesetter Maxi Bon and got by him in the stretch by a length to score in 1:49.1. Cammikey, the 3-5 favourite who came into the race unbeaten in 2014, had to settle for third.
Lets Drink On It (Art Official-Letmedowneasy) saved the best for last in the final division, pouncing on a hot pace first-over and going away by 2-3/4 lengths to win in 1:49, the night’s fastest Sire Stakes time. Fresh off a win in Indiana, the 1-2 favourite was driven by Tyler Smith for trainer Joe Seekman. Mcwicked was best of the rest in second while Some Playa picked up the show.
PASS winners Tellitlikeitis (50-1 in Trot Magazine's Spring Book), Somestarsomewhere (9-1) and Lets Drink On It (30-1) are all eligible to the 2014 Pepsi North America Cup.
Dancin Yankee won the $25,000 Preferred Pace on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, but the real story was his time, which was the fastest ever at Pocono and matched the world record for fastest pace on a five-eighth-mile oval.
Fresh off a win in the Van Rose Memorial Pace at Pocono in his previous start, Dancin Yankee (Yankee Cruiser-Dancewiththebest), the 4-5 favourite from an outside post in a field of six, took over the lead with a blinding burst of speed on the front stretch. With Brett Miller in the bike, the six-year-old stallion from the Josh Green barn had to endure a first-over challenge on the backstretch from Mach It So and a homestretch battle from pocket horse Clear Vision, eventually prevailing over the latter by a neck with Feel Like A Fool finishing third.
The fractional times for the mile were :26, :52.2, 1:20.1, and 1:47.2. That winning time broke Pocono’s all-time mark of 1:47.4, which was accomplished three times in 2013. It also matched the fastest mile ever paced on a five-eighth-mile oval, which was first set last year by Pet Rock at Scioto Downs. In addition, Dancin Yankee sets a new world record for aged stallions on the pace with the winning time.
Dancin Yankee, owned by Baron Racing Stable and Richard Lombardo, won for the eighth time in 14 races this season. He now has 32 lifetime victories and career earnings of $778,922.
(With files from Pocono Downs)