All five winners in Monday's second preliminary leg of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for three-year-old trotters at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono took new lifetime marks, and the two first-round winners who entered for the second leg ran their record to 2-for-2.
The Explosive Matter filly Goodtogo Hanover, one of those two first leg winners, is in fact now 8-for-8 in 2016 after brushing to the lead early in the second quarter and going on to victory in the fastest clocking, 1:54.1. Goodtogo Hanover was good for the win by two lengths over Side Bet Hanover for driver Brian Zendt and father/trainer/co-owner Bill Zendt, in the lattermost category with Gary Saul.
The other repeat Stallion Series winner was Witnesstheprincess, victorious in four of her last six starts, here in 1:55.4 for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Chris Beaver, who co-owns the daughter of Andover Hall with Synerco Ventures Inc. and Michael D. Robinson.
Sire Andover Hall picked up a second stakes siring credit on the night when Rule Of Hall reduced her mark to 1:54.4 for the red-hot teaming of driver Corey Callahan and trainer John Butenschoen, and for her owners, 83 Racing.
The Cantab Hall miss Spirit Squad adjusted quickly to moving into the barn of Pocono’s leading trainer, Rene Allard, breaking her maiden in 1:55 after winning by five lengths. Rene’s brother Simon did the driving for the Rick Zeron Stables, James Walker and Yves Sarrazin.
Charlie Norris picked up a rarer-and-rarer “double” in the other cut, as he is the trainer and driver of Modern Mercury, who followed up on a PA All-Stars win here in May with a Stallion Series win on Monday, stopping the timer in 1:55.4 in defeating Waterview Hanover, last year’s two-year-old trotting filly Fair Championship winner, in 1:55.4. Carrie Norris and Anthony Klis III own the successful daughter of Donato Hanover.
(PHHA/Pocono)