Valeris, trained by Frank Ingrassia and driven by wife Jacqueline, was the fastest three-year-old filly trot W.N. Reynolds Memorial Stake winner
Saturday afternoon at Pocono Downs as Grand Circuit Week came to a close.
In the first race of the afternoon on the 16-race card, Valeris was a 12-1 longshot victor with a time of 1:55.3.
Other divisional Reynolds trot victors were Broadway Paige, piloted by Tim Tetrick and trained by Brian Roland and Up Front Annika, reined by Dave Palone and trained by Kelly O'Donnell. Broadway Paige crossed the finish line in 1:56.4 while Up Front Annika was a winner in 1:56.
This was Up Front Annika’s second start of the season, getting headed out in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at the Meadows after winning four of 10 starts in 2008 with $408,081 in earnings.
Broadway Paige was winning for the second time in 2009 and that first victory came in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at the Meadows with a time of 1:57.2 over a sloppy track.
Meanwhile, the fastest Reynolds two-year-old colt and gelding pacer was Sharks Legacy, timed in 1:53.4 with Andrew McCarthy in the sulky. Aaron Lambert trains Shark Legacy. Sharks Legacy is a perfect three for three in his young career, winning a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes race previously at the Meadows with a time of 1:54.1.
“He’s a lovely little colt,” said McCarthy in the winner’s circle. “He was a little unsure of himself today. I knew I had the best horse in the race and I just sat second for a greater part of the mile before I made my move.”
Hasty Western, driven by John Campbell, left from the six hole to quickly take the lead in the race with Sharks Legacy sitting second throughout most of the race before McCarthy tipped out half way down the stretch.
Tetrick said he was trying to race for a check with Lucky Power in the third of nine divisions of the Reynolds divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings when he won it as a 12-1 longshot.
“I really thought I had a tough road ahead in this race,” further offered Tetrick in the winner’s circle. “You never know what is going to happen in a race.”
Tetrick and Lucky Power, trained by Kasey Shahan, were seventh for more than three-quarters of the mile before coming five deep down the stretch to beat favorite Beignet with a time of 1:55.3.
Jim Morrill Jr. won 11 of the Grand Circuit races this week at Pocono Downs while George Teague, Jr. had eight Reynolds training victories. Morrill, Jr. and Teague, Jr. combined to win four of the nine Reynolds two-year-old colt and gelding paces Saturday afternoon.
(Pocono Downs)