The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono prepared for one of its biggest cards of the year with its Saturday, June 22 card which features a total of 10 eliminations for the Max Hempt Memorial, James Lynch Memorial, Ben Franklin and Earl Beal Jr. Memorial.
Shake That House rebounded from a dull effort in his North America Cup elimination with a near-gate-to-wire 1:49 victory in the first elimination for the Max Hempt Memorial.
Sent the 3-2 favourite, driver Brian Sears circled Shake That House to the lead past a :26 first quarter and gave Air Force Hanover the pocket while Aflame Hanover, parking horses early, yielded for third. Through a :53.4 half and past three-quarters in 1:21.4, Shake That House turned into the stretch and turned away a passing-lane bid from Air Force Hanover to secure the win. Aflame Hanover, pulling first over approaching the final turn, gave chase for third.
Owned by Crawford Farms Racing, Alan Johnston and Northfork Racing Stable, Shake That House won his fourth race from five starts this season and his seventh from 13 overall, earning $160,903. Chris Oakes conditions the son of American Ideal who paid $5.00 to win.
Stalking third for the first half of the mile, Proof powered past pacesetter Lyons Night Hawk to win the second Hempt elimination going away in 1:48.1.
Lyons Night Hawk grabbed the front from Captain Malicious moving to a :26.1 opening quarter and led the single-file field by a :54.1 half. Driver David Miller kept 4-5 favourite Proof at the pylons through the backstretch before tipping the A Rocknroll Dance colt first over approaching three-quarters in 1:21. Proof then quickly put away Lyons Night Hawk and strode clear of the field through the stretch. Brassy Hanover dashed through the open stretch to take second from Lyons Night Hawk holding third.
Returning $3.60 to win, Proof won his eighth race from 16 starts, earning $476,299. Brian Brown conditions the Diamond Creek Racing homebred.
Driver Yannick Gingras pushed Captain Victorious to the top and withstood a fast pace prompted by pressure from Escapetothebeach to win the third elimination for the Hempt in a lifetime-best 1:48.3.
The Ron Burke-trained son of Captaintreacherous sprinted to the top and kept Escapetothebeach parked past a :26 opening quarter. Hurrikane Emperor stalked from the pocket as the tempo remained quick through splits of :53.2 and 1:21.1. Escapetothebeach retreated turning into the stretch while Hurrikane Emperor gave pursuit from second. Highlandbeachlover closed for third.
Owned by The Captain V Stable, Captain Victorious won his fourth race from 16 starts, earning $180,271. He paid $10.00 to win.
Frosh-star Green Manalishi S debuted a winner in the first elimination for the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial as the Marcus Melander trainee swept past late-leader Summit In Sight to win in 1:52.1.
White Tiger took control early from Swandre The Giant in second and Summit In Sight in third approaching a :27.1 opening quarter. Summit In Sight then pulled first over past a :55.4 half and carried Green Manalishi S second over moving to three-quarters in 1:24. Summit In Sight brushed past White Tiger circling the final turn but was overpowered in the stretch by Green Manalishi S and got rough when settling for second. Swandre The Giant shot through the passing lane for third and advances to the final with Wittyville and Sheer Muscle.
Winning his sixth race from 11 starts, Green Manalishi S competes for owner Courant Inc. The $523,057 earner had Tim Tetrick in the sulky for trainer Marcus Melander. The Muscle Hill colt paid $7.40 to win.
Trainer Marcus Melander completed a sweep of the Beal eliminations with Greenshoe cruising to a 1:52.3 victory.
Osterc cleared command from Goes Down Smooth as the latter trotted roughly past a :27.4 opening quarter. Driver Brian Sears edged the 1-9 favourite first over from fourth and advanced towards the leader past a :57.1 half. Under no encouragement Greenshoe trotted past Osterc by three-quarters in 1:25 and widened his lead to the finish. Osterc chased in second while Marseilles took third from Goes Down Smooth and Reign Of Honor, who finished in a dead-heat for fourth.
Winning his fifth race from seven starts, Greenshoe reached the $200,000 earnings plateau for owners Courant Inc., Hans Backe, Lars Granqvist and Morten Langli. The Father Patrick colt paid $2.10 to win.
Tony Alagna-trainee Tall Drink Hanover pounced from the pocket in the stretch to take the first elimination for the James Lynch Memorial in 1:50.
Driver Andrew McCarthy launched the daughter of Captaintreacherous to the front as 3/5 favourite Philly Hanover cruised uncovered towards the leader moving to a :27 opening quarter. Philly Hanover paced uncontested on the lead through fractions of :55.1 and 1:23 but spun into the stretch under pursuit from Tall Drink Hanover, who angled from the pylons and darted past in the final sixteenth to win by a length. Philly Hanover settled for second while St Somewhere chased in third.
Owned by Alagna Racing LLC, Marvin Katz and Riverview Racing LLC, Tall Drink Hanover won her ninth race from 15 starts, earning $391,132. She paid $4.20 to win.
Odds On St Lucie zipped through the passing lane to overtake 2/5 favourite Zero Tolerance and win the second Lynch elimination in 1:49.4.
Renaissance Lady K cruised to the top from post 6 while Odds On St Lucie floated into second and Zero Tolerance into third. Driver Dexter Dunn circled Odds On St Lucie to the front past a :27 opening quarter before letting Zero Tolerance take control approaching a :54.2 half.
Rose Run Uptowngal tipped first over from fourth into the backstretch and applied pressure on Zero Tolerance passing three-quarters in 1:22.1 with Blue Ivy in tow second over. Zero Tolerance turned for the finish in front while Odds On St Lucie veered into the passing lane and Blue Ivy fanned three wide. Odds On St Lucie rushed to the lead late in the stretch as Blue Ivy sprinted into second while Zero Tolerance faded to third.
Trained by Tony Alagna for owner Odds On Racing, Odds On St Lucie won her seventh race from 12 starts, earning $142,286. The Sweet Lou filly paid $5.60 to win.
Last year’s freshman-filly champion Warrawee Ubeaut breezed around the track in the final Lynch elimination, winning in 1:50.2.
Driver Yannick Gingras sent the Sweet Lou filly to the lead, forcing Stonebridge Soul into the pocket by a :27.1 opening quarter. He then slowed the pace to a :56.3 half as Treacherous Reign pulled first over from fourth moving to the backstretch. Pressured by the Fan Hanover winner past three-quarters in 1:24.2, Warrawee Ubeaut expanded her lead into the stretch as Stonebridge Soul chased from second and Treacherous Reign clung to third.
Surpassing $800,000 in earnings, Warrawee Ubeaut won her 11th race from 17 starts. The Ron Burke trainee competes for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Phillip Collura, Jerry & Theresa Silva Stables, Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She paid $3.40 to win.
Western Fame flew for the front and coasted the mile despite first-over pressure from 3/5 favourite Highalator to take the first elimination for the Ben Franklin in 1:48.1.
This Is The Plan rushed to the lead while Western Fame split horses and advanced towards the top heading to a :26.2 opening quarter. Western Fame slowed the pace moving to a :54.1 half but soon faced a challenge from Highalator moving to the backstretch.
Highalator dashed into second moving to three-quarters in 1:21 but faltered rounding the final turn. Western Fame swung into the stretch chased by pocket-sitter This Is The Plan while Beckhams Z Tam took third and Duplicated N took fourth.
Winning his sixth race from nine starts this season and his 22nd from 76 overall, Western Fame surpassed $1.5 million in earnings. The Rene Allard-trained six-year-old by Western Ideal races for owners Go Fast Stable, Stephen Klunowski, B And I Stables LLC and Gil Short. Dan Dube drove the $5.40 winner.
Lather Up led the field most of the mile, got headed by 3/5 favourite Mcwicked and regained control to win the second Franklin elimination in 1:50.1.
Filibuster Hanover blasted to the top from the outside while Lather Up progressed towards the front approaching a :26.4 first quarter. Mcwicked sat fifth and pulled first over moving into the second turn as driver Montrell Teague slowed the tempo towards a :56.1 half.
Mcwicked continued to gain ground on the pacesetter as the field sprinted through the backside towards three-quarters in 1:23.3. Mcwicked took control into the stretch before stalling into the final sixteenth. Lather Up retook control late while Springsteen, who found room to angle four wide from the pylons, charged to the finish for second. Mcwicked held third from fellow finalists Miso Fast and Dorsoduro Hanover.
A homebred for Gary and Barbara Iles, Lather Up won his 19th race from 31 starts and has now earned $1,063,572. Clyde Francis conditions the four-year-old son of Im Gorgeous who paid $7.40 to win.
None Bettor A took a sole division for the Great Northeastern Open Series preliminary. Driver Dexter Dunn sent the six-year-old Bettors Delight gelding to the front past a :27 opening quarter and posted splits of :55 and 1:22.3 under little pressure. The Jennifer Bongiorno trainee faced a late challenge from 60-1 Havefaithinme N in the passing lane but turned the longshot away to win his seventh-straight race. Courtly Choice, riding the pylons, found room late to take third.
Compiling $244,245 in earnings, None Bettor A races for owners Joe P Racing LLC and Oldford Racing LLC. He paid $2.80 to win.