The elimination races for The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono’s $2-million 'Sun Stakes Saturday' card have been drawn. The elims will be contested this Saturday (June 23), and those that advance to the championships will race for the big money on Saturday, June 30.
A tremendous amount of subplots already suggest themselves from the elimination draws: The undefeated filly Manchego will take on the boys in the Beal Trot; Arguably the three best colts have drawn Posts 6-7-8 in the same elimination of the Hempt Pace; and Filibuster Hanover will again test older stock as he looks to keep his seasonal unbeaten streak alive in the Franklin Pace.
A brief preview of the four major races appears below (a listing of the field containing horse, post position, trainer, and probable driver appears at the end of each section).
EARL BEAL THREE-YEAR-OLD OPEN TROT
(this Saturday $25,000 eliminations in Races 3, 5, 11; top three advance to June 30’s $500,000 championship)
Manchego – perfect in 14 starts thus far in her career, with both her starts in 2018 being victorious races at Pocono – will test the boys in this important stepping stone towards the Hambletonian and the rest of the sophomore riches. Manchego has done well in the barrier draw, as she has received Post 5 – which is by far the winningest starting slot at Pocono – for trainer Jimmy Takter and driver Yannick Gingras (it was this team that tried the filly Ariana G in the Beal last year, and she gave a great race, but wound up third over an off track in the championship).
Manchego will have to face champion colts at two from both sides of the border, and here the gate, in the Race-11 elim: Alarm Detector, seven for nine last year and coming off a third in the Goodtimes Final for trainer Benoit Baillargeon and driver Trevor Henry. He has the inside post. Stuck with the outside Post 8 is Fourth Dimension (trainer Marcus Melander, driver Brian Sears), who was eight for 11 in 2017 and second in his recent seasonal bow.
New York star Six Pack – who is undefeated in three seasonal outings thus far, including the Empire Breeders Classic final – will participate in Race 5 from Post 6 in a field of seven for trainer/driver Åke Svanstedt. Two top Pennsylvania horses that are scheduled to race against him are Moosonee (Post 2, trainer Chris Beaver, driver Aaron Merriman), a double stakes winner this year, and Fashionwoodchopper (Post 5, trainer Jim Campbell, driver David Miller), the 2017 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion.
The Beal action will start in Race 3, as Patent Leather (Post 1, trainer Jim Campbell, driver Tim Tetrick) will be back on the track after having won a Pennsylvania All-Stars dash in 1:52.3 on Sunday, June 17, just six nights before the Beal elims. Sires Stakes winners in Ohio (Mission Accepted, Post 4, trainer Jeff Conger, driver Ryan Stahl) and New York (Voss Volo, Post 7, trainer John Butenschoen, driver Corey Callahan) certainly figure as contenders.
BEAL ELIMINATION (RACE 3)
(Post, Horse, Trainer, Listed Driver)
1, Patent Leather, Jim Campbell, Tim Tetrick
2, Tito, Erv Miller, Marcus Miller
3, Lawmaker, Andrew Harris, Anthony MacDonald
4, Mission Accepted, Jeff Conger, Ryan Stahl
5, Winning Shadow, Jake Huff, Corey Callahan
6, Whats The Word, Rene Allard, Corey Callahan
7, Voss Volo, John Butenschoen, Corey Callahan
BEAL ELIMINATION (RACE 5)
1, Missle Hill, Tony Alagna, Doug McNair
2, Moosonee, Chris Beaver, Aaron Merriman
3, Evaluate, Marcus Melander, Tim Tetrick
4, Rich And Miserable, Todd Buter, Tyler Buter
5, Fashionwoodchopper, Jim Campbell, David Miller
6, Six Pack, Åke Svanstedt, Åke Svanstedt
7, Scirocco Rob, John Butenschoen, Corey Callahan
BEAM ELIMINATION (RACE 11)
1, Alarm Detector, Benoit Baillargeon, Trevor Henry
2, Gemologist, Åke Svanstedt, Åke Svanstedt
3, Crystal Fashion, Jim Campbell, Tim Tetrick
4, Mississippi Storm, Tom Fanning, David Miller
5, Manchego, Jimmy Takter, Yannick Gingras
6, Fashion Forever, Jim Campbell, Corey Callahan
7, Fiftydallarbill, Bill Crone, Trace Tetrick
8, Fourth Dimension, Marcus Melander, Brian Sears
MAX C. HEMPT THREE-YEAR-OLD COLT PACE
(this Saturday $25,000 eliminations in Races 6, 9, 12; top three advance to June 30’s $500,000 championship)
The racing gods left no margin for error in the 12th race elimination of the Hempt. Only the top three horses in the eight-horse elim will advance, and the threesome many would rate as the top trio in the land drew the three outermost slots: Done Well (Post 6, trainer Brian Brown, driver Tim Tetrick), Lather Up (Post 7, trainer Clyde Francis, driver Montrell Teague), and Courtly Choice (Post 8, trainer Blake MacIntosh, driver Mark MacDonald). Lather Up, a perfect six-for-six this year, will likely emerge as the chalk off his easy win this past Saturday in the North America Cup final; a win might not come so easily in this collection.
In the Race 6 elim, New York Sire Stakes winners Keystone Tenacious (Post 4, trainer Paul Kelley, driver Mark MacDonald) and Springsteen (Post 6, trainer Rene Allard, driver David Miller) will be challenged by fast Ohio Sires Stakes winner Cinnamack (Post 3, trainer Brian Brown, David Miller) and Dorsoduro Hanover (Post 5, trainer Ron Burke, driver Matt Kakaley), who was the early leader pro tem in this division until getting a horrible trip in his NA Cup elim and not making the final.
Race 9 will see Stay Hungry try to rebound from a fourth-place finish in the NA Cup Final after getting a golden second-over trip. To come back to winning ways, he’ll have to overcome the outside Post 8 for trainer Tony Alagna and driver Doug McNair, along with foes such as Im A Big Deal (Post 5, trainer Chris Ryder, driver George Napolitano Jr.), who was an impressive sire stakes winner a couple of starts back.
HEMPT ELIM (RACE 6)
1, This Is The Plan, Chris Ryder, Tim Tetrick
2, Daddyofemall, Dan Altmeyer, Mike Wilder
3, Cinnamack, Brian Brown, David Miller
4, Keystone Tenacious, Paul Kelley, Mark MacDonald
5, Dorsoduro Hanover, Ron Burke, Matt Kakaley
6, Springsteen, Rene Allard, David Miller
7, Stendahl Hanover, Eddie Sager, Marcus Miller
8, Decoy, Jimmy Takter, David Miller
9, Closing Statement, Joe Holloway, Brian Sears
HEMPT ELIM (RACE 9)
1, Whos Better, Brian Brown, Tim Tetrick
2, Sometimesawinner, Rene Allard, Simon Allard
3, Shnitzledosomethin, Dylan Davis, David Miller
4, Hitman Hill, Chris Oakes, Brett Miller
5, Im A Big Deal, Chris Ryder, George Napolitano Jr.
6, Points North, Nifty Norman, Andrew McCarthy
7, Grand Teton, Jimmy Takter, Scott Zeron
8, Stay Hungry, Tony Alagna, Doug McNair
HEMPT ELIM (RACE 12)
1, Rock Lights, Katricia Adams, George Napolitano Jr.
2, Babes Dig Me, Tony Alagna, Brett Miller
3, Heavenly Sound, Bruce Saunders, Andrew McCarthy
4, Nutcracker Sweet, Jimmy Takter, David Miller
5, Wes Delight, Mark Harder, Corey Callahan
6. Done Well, Brian Brown, Tim Tetrick
7, Lather Up, Clyde Francis, Montrell Teague
8, Courtly Choice, Blake Macintosh, Mark MacDonald
BEN FRANKLIN FFA PACE
(this Saturday $35,000 eliminations in Races 2, 4, 10; top three advance to June 30’s $500,000 championship)
Filibuster Hanover, who has handled the often-difficult step from age three to four quite well thus far, will try to run his seasonal undefeated string to six. He will start from Post 6 in the 10th race Franklin elim for trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras. ‘Filibuster’ has already shown he can handle older company, as he posted a win in the Commodore Barry Pace at Philly at the end of May. Sure to attract support is Sintra (Post 1, trainer David Menary, driver Jody Jamieson) off a 1:48 victory in the Mohawk Gold Cup this past Saturday.
The horse who finished second to Sintra, McWicked, just might be the most intriguing horse in all of these Franklin elims. Last week he was 16 lengths out at the quarter, yet rallied to be beaten only two and three-quarter lengths, which calculates to a last three quarters in 1:18.4 – and three-wide on the far turn! The career winner of more than $2 million in purses will start from Post 4 for trainer Casie Coleman and driver Brian Sears in the Race 4 elimination.
Heaven Rocks A – a champion in Australasia who was second to Filibuster Hanover in the Commodore Barry and then came back to win in 1:50 at Philly – may be getting better and better with each start. In his Race 2 elimination, he’ll try to sustain his improvement from Post 4 for trainer Ross Croghan and driver David Miller. Western Fame (Post 5, trainer Jimmy Takter, driver Andrew McCarthy) will draw respect off a 1:49.1 – :26.1 win last week at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
FRANKLIN ELIM (RACE 2)
1, Easy Lover Hanover, Ben Wallace, driver TBA
2, Check Six, Ron Burke, Yannick Gingras
3, Missile J, Scott Di Domenico, Tim Tetrick
4, Heaven Rocks A, Ross Croghan, David Miller
5, Western Fame, Jimmy Takter, Andrew McCarthy
6, Split The House, Chris Oakes, George Napolitano Jr.
7, Donttellmeagain, Jim King Jr., Tim Tetrick
FRANKLIN ELIM (RACE 4)
1, Rockin Ron, Ron Burke, Matt Kakaley
2, Scott Rocks, Hunter Oakes, George Napolitano Jr.
3, Waikiki Beach A, Ross Croghan, Scott Zeron
4, McWicked, Casie Coleman, Brian Sears
5, Mach It So, Jeff Bamond Jr., Tim Tetrick
6, Macs Jackpot, Jeffrey Smith, Andy Miller
FRANKLIN ELIM (RACE 10)
1, Sintra, David Menary, Jody Jamieson
2, Boogie Shuffle, Mark Harder, David Miller
3, Christen Me N, Jim King Jr., Tim Tetrick
4, All Bets Off, Ron Burke, Matt Kakaley
5, Dealt A Winner, Mark Silva, Brett Miller
6, Filibuster Hanover, Ron Burke, Yannick Gingras
7, Funknwaffles, John Butenschoen, Corey Callahan
JAMES LYNCH THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE
(this Saturday $20,000 eliminations in Races 7 and 8; top four and the faster fifth-place finisher advance to June 30’s $300,000 championship)
The main question to be asked ahead of the Lynch is, ‘Which Youaremycandygirl will show up this week?’ The one that won nine of 11 starts at two and was divisional champion, or the one who has won only one of three seasonal starts? Trainer Ron Burke has been diligently working to get the most successful answer to that question. The filly will start the Race 7 elimination from Post 2 for driver Yannick Gingras. Lismore champion Alexas Power (Post 3, trainer Jim Campbell, driver Tim Tetrick) and New Jersey Sire Stakes final winner Hypnotic Tale (Post 5, trainer Linda Toscano, driver David Miller) will be among the many seeking out the answer to that puzzle.
In the Race 8 elim, Kissin In The Sand (Post 3, trainer Nancy Johansson, driver Scott Zeron) may become the public’s choice after a very good second in the Fan Hanover final last Saturday. Two of Pennsylvania’s best had the misfortune to draw outside posts in the eight-horse field: Serene Stride (Post 7, trainer Mark Harder, driver Tony Hall) and Sidewalk Dancer (Post 8, trainer Chris Oakes, driver Brett Miller).
LYNCH ELIM (RACE 7)
1, Carlos Superstar, Rene Allard, Simon Allard
2, Youaremycandygirl, Ron Burke, Yannick Gingras
3, Alexas Power, Jim Campbell, Tim Tetrick
4, Double A Mint, Ron Burke, Matt Kakaley
5, Hypnotic Tale, Linda Toscano, David Miller
6, Pass Line Bluechip, Wayne Givens, driver TBA
7, Majorsspeciallady, Ron Burke, Brett Miller
8, Ideal Talker, Noel Daley, Andrew McCarthy
LYNCH ELIM (RACE 8)
1, Python Blue Chip, Ron Burke, Yannick Gingras
2, Im Trigger Happy, Tony O’Sullivan, David Miller
3, Kissin In The Sand, Nancy Johansson, Scott Zeron
4, Solitary, Nick Surick, Tim Tetrick
5, Cuts Like A Knife, Bruce Saunders, Tim Tetrick
6, Sansovia Hanover, Ron Burke, Matt Kakaley
7, Serene Stride, Mark Harder, Tony Hall
8, Sidewalk Dancer, Chris Oakes, Brett Miller
One final note – you won’t want to miss the first race, a $30,000 Open Pace in the Great Northeast Open Series, as two $2M+ winners – Bettors Edge (Post 1, trainer Jennifer Lappe, driver Scott Zeron) and Pure Country (Post 3, driver Yannick Gingras) -- will take on ‘the boys.’ Add Rockeyed Optimist, Rodeo Romeo and others to the mix, and you have a field with 151 lifetime wins and a combined bankroll of $6.3M, with an average mark of 1:48.4. This curtain raiser at Pocono on Saturday is slated for 7 p.m.
(PHHA / Pocono)