The Trixton sophomore filly Golden Tricks, developing rapidly for the Åke Svanstedt stable, won her second-straight race and lowered her lifetime speed mark to 1:54 when winning the $15,000 featured trot at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Tuesday, June 25.
Eric Carlson got the catch-driving assignment from Svanstedt and kept the winner off the speed to the half as Town Hall Justice cut out fractions of :26.4 and :56.2. She then made a big backstretch move that brought her to the pacesetter by the 1:24.3 three-quarters. Golden Tricks drew alongside the leader in a matter of steps and drew off by three-and-a-half lengths at the finish for owners Brixton Medical Inc., whose filly was third in a New Jersey Sire Stakes Final in only her third start and is regaining peak form approaching the first of August.
In a $14,000 pace for mares, Rockin The Boys A posted her second straight victory, taking a North American speed mark of 1:51.1. George Napolitano Jr., a five-time winenr on the card, sent the Rock N Roll Heaven mare to the lead and through early fractions of :27.1 and :56.2. He then got her to step consecutive :27.2 quarters home to defeat Bye Bye Michelle by one-and-three-quarter lengths to boost her lifetime earnings to $101,453. Andrew Harris conditions the winner for Cool Cat Racing Inc.
A couple of $13,000 races for two-year-old trotters caught the eye, promising to deliver stakes performers in the near future. First up was a field of fillies with Impressive Fashion, a daughter of Father Patrick out of Impressive Kemp (a Breeders Crown winner here and a half-sister to Hambletonian winner Trixton), going to the lead for driver David Miller and cutting fractions of :28.4, 1:00.1 and 1:29.1.
Impressive Fashion had a lead of a couple of lengths nearing headstretch when she suddenly bore out towards the center of the course, giving her rivals what looked like a second life. But Miller got the filly corrected in her purse debut and she took off again to win in 1:58, one-and-a-half lengths ahead of Aperfectcrystal, for trainer Jim Campbell and Fashion Farms LLC.
Miller, Campbell, and Fashion Farms followed minutes later with another juvenile victor as pacesetter Steel Schooner, a Possess The Will–Broadway Schooner gelding and a three-quarter brother to champion Broadway Donna, set the pace in :28.3, :59.3, and 1:28.4. Then, in about the same spot where Impressive Fashion started to bear out–so did Steel Schooner.
Steel Schooner did not go as wide as his stablemate, but lurking in the pocket was favoured Paulie Walnuts, an Andover Hall colt out of D Liteful Hanover (a half-sister to Donato Hanover). Paulie Walnuts took advantage of this opportunity, winning by a half length over his resurgent foe in 1:57.2 for trainer Gareth Dowse and owner Howard Taylor.
Last night one favourite and ten second choices were victorious; tonight ten favorites and one second choice won.
(with files from PHHA/Pocono)