Over an oval rated “sloppy” for the Saturday, June 14 feature races at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, the Somebeachsomewhere-Summa Of Dreams gelding Spring Inhis Step A again lived up to his name, taking the $34,247 Winners Over Pace for fast-class horses in 1:49.3.
Another winning favourite on a big day for the chalk, Spring Inhis Step A was pushed to a :26.4 quarter before clearing to the lead for driver Brett Beckwith, who then rated the winning gelding to midfractions of :55.1 and 1:22.3. Spring Inhis Step A stayed in control through the lane, getting one reminder from Beckwith to keep his mind to business, and the veteran responded sharply for trainer Jeff Cullipher and owner Pollack Racing LLC. The eight-year-old is a 24-time career winner with $486,046 in earnings from 83 outings. Endofstory (George Napolitano Jr.) took the place spot over Southwind Gendry (Tyler Buter).
In the $22,603 fast-class pacing sub-feature, the Always A Virgin-Star Of The Show gelding Virgo, possessor of great early speed, took quick control from the pole for SImon Allard, forcing his opposition in behind him, set the pace as he pleased, then left everyone behind with a :26.1 kicker to score in 1:50.4. The rest of the field got the message early, allowing Virgo to put up easy fractions of :27.2, :56.4, and 1:24.3, and they could not make up sufficient ground in the supersonic last quarter (over “sloppy” going, remember). Darren Taneyhill trains the winner of two straight, now with a career bankroll of $607,488, for owners Mark Jakubik and Jason Darling. Ammo (Buter) finished second with Pat Mcgarry A (Beckwith) third.
If the Sweet Lou-Luvthebeachlife gelding Lou Grant is approaching anything near his maximum mile, he certainly has given no local evidence of that fact. He won for the third time in as many Pocono starts, stopping the timer in 1:50.4 while coming home himself in :26.3 in the sixth-race $23,288 conditioned pace. Allard sent favoured Lou Grant to an early advantage, forced second choice Borninlockdown GB (Buter) to race outside past a :26.4 quarter to get the lead, and then sat under a stout hold through middle splits of :55.4 and 1:24. The leader was still going along well, and Jabbar (Mark Herschberger) mounted an uncovered challenge, but Allard never showed anxiousness as he waited, then steered the winner to the Pocono Pike and gained swiftly to down Jabbar by a neck. Eric Mollor trains the very promising four-year-old pacer for Jack Piatt III and Howard Alexander. Borninlockdown GB completed the trifecta.
Tyler Buter had four winners on the Saturday card. His production rate at Pocono is staying as hot as it was in May – in the former month he had 51 wins, and through June 14 he’s crossed the wire first 26 times at the mountain oval. Simon Allard won the last race along with the two subfeatures to be next in line in the day’s driving derby.
Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series action will highlight the Sunday, June 15 card at Pocono, which begins at 6 p.m. First round Sire Stakes winners Hangover and Payback Moni have drawn into separate divisions of this second prelim action.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono)