Simon Says Hanover, in the Superfecta but winless in his third preliminaries of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, worked out an ideal trip in Monday’s (June 22) $28,169 Series Championship in taking a 1:51.1 triumph over a sloppy track.
Braxten Boyd used the excellent early speed of the Captaintreacherous gelding to push the sharp River Ness (two wins and a head loss in his prelims) before yielding before a :26.2 quarter and was content to ride in the golden chair behind mid-splits of :55 and 1:23. No outer tier flow carried any other challenger up into contention, so when Simon Says Hanover came out for the stretch drive to challenge River Ness.
River Ness proved his usual game self, but Simon Says Hanover had a bit more left in the tank come crunch time, with the winner of $453,576 crossing the wire a neck to the good while Ballard Einstein was third. Herbert Lux II trains Simon Says Hanover for owners Bill Mullin of Shavertown, PA and Howard Taylor of Philadelphia, PA.
As difficult as the victory of Simon Says Hanover proved to be, the victory of the Brad De Veluwe trotting mare Laferraridmanche S was easy, posting a five length triumph in the $28,169 fast-class trot, also with Boyd in the sulky.
The Andrew Harris trainee, co-owned by Harris of Allentown, NJ with Ray Lasky of Mechanicville, NY and Nathan Cockerman of Boiling Springs, SC is perfect in two starts since coming here from Yonkers came first-over, went by near the three-quarters, and stopped the clock in 1:52.4, rewriting her lifetime mark.
A $24,648 pace for high-caliber pacing mares saw the Tall Dark Stranger mare Ballast make every pole a winning one from the rail, although pocket horse La Miki N closed to within a nose at the end of the 1:52 mile. Ballast was driven by Matt Kakaley for Travis Alexander and EVM Racing LLC of Middletown, DE.
The victory was one of five winners during the Monday program for Kakaley, two of them for trainer Travis Alexander. Braxten Boyd checked in first four times; Tyler Buter had a pair of triumphs, both for trainer Cote Keim.
Tuesday’s 1 p.m. program will feature a $27,500 USD fast-class handicap trot, matching Dame Good Time, who recently tied the world record for his division with a 1:50.2f victory, against millionaire mare Warrawee Michelle and four other top diamond-gaiters. There will also be a carryover into the last race High 5 wager.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono Downs)