Canadian-owned Designed To Be exorcised some demons in a big way by winning a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes race at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Wednesday night, matching a world record in the process. The race was one of two $98,100 Sire Stakes divisions held at Pocono for three-year-old trotting fillies.
The last time she was at Pocono, Designed To Be (Donato Hanover-Sheer Soul), trained by Julie Miller, broke stride as the heavy favourite in a Breeders Crown elimination race in October. This time around, in just her second start of the year following a Sire Stakes win at Harah's Philadelphia in early May, the filly, an 8-5 second choice, had to face off with defending division champ Shake It Cerry.
Driver Brian Sears made the lead with Designed To Be on the front stretch and rebuffed the challenge of Shake It Cerry on the final turn. In the stretch, she trotted away from closing Lifetime Pursuit to win by two and three-quarter lengths with Shake It Cerry fading to third.
The winning time of 1:51.3 matched the world record for three-year-old trotting fillies on a five-eighth-mile track, previously set by Check Me Out at Pocono in 2012.
Designed To Be is owned and bred by Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont. and Marvin Katz of Toronto.
Trainer Julie Miller was able to claim a sweep of Sire Stakes action on the night, as Take The Money (Donato Hanover-Repititions) took advantage of some racing luck to win her division in 1:52.4.
In that split, Cooler Schooner was the heavy favourite and was in command heading into the final turn, but she spun way out wide and lost too much ground to hit the board. Take The Money, the 7-5 second choice with Dave Palone in the bike, inherited the lead from the pocket and toughed it out in the stretch to win by a length over Cantabs Fortune in 1:52.4. Tweet Me picked up the show.
Take The Money is owned by Black Horse Racing of Lebanon, New Jersey.
(With files from Pocono Downs)