Eight $20,000 divisions of the second preliminary of Pennsylvania Stallion Series action for two-year-old trotting fillies were featured Monday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with the two repeat winners from the six divisions of the first round at The Meadows coming at Pocono in consecutive races for the Hall of Fame team of David Miller and Jimmy Takter, and all eight winners posting new lifetime marks.
First up for Miller-Takter was the fastest of all eight of Monday’s winners, Electric Lemonade, who won in 1:57.2 but needed every bit of it to post the pocket rocket tally over a stubborn pacesetting Hot Mess Hanover by a neck. Electric Lemonade was the first of three siring credits for Cantab Hall on the evening, and the 2-for-2 filly is owned by Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, and Herb Liverman.
The other repeat winner was the Donato Hanover filly Perfect Lady, also making the most of a pocket trip in finishing 1-3/4 lengths clear of the first-over Lucky Rose in 1:58.4. Team DvMiller/JiTakter were repeat winners as noted, and so was the ownership triumvirate of CTakter/JoFielding/JiFielding, this time pairing with R A W Equine Inc, who saw their filly remain a Perfect Lady in two career starts.
Trainer Takter then went on to post a consecutive triple with a second daughter of Cantab Hall, Bridal Suite, a winner in 1:58 for driver Corey Callahan. For the third straight race pocket tactics worked for a Takter trainee, as Bridal Suite, unusually for a Taker trotter a 10-1 proposition, overhauled front-stepping Blacksirenpedia by a half-length for the partnership who also owns fastest winner Electric Lemonade, Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, and Herb Liverman.
In the last division of the evening, Cantab Hall finished out his siring triple with Cant I, who came her own last quarter in :28.2 despite a first-over trip to win by 5-1/4 lengths in 1:57.4 for driver John Campbell, trainer Bob Stewart, and breeders/owners Howard Taylor, Ed Gold, Abraham Basen, and R.R. Fuller.
Also with a multiple siring credit was Donato Hanover; besides the mentioned-above Perfect Lady, he also fathered All Set Lets Go, who certainly is at the start of her career, as this 1:58.1 triumph was already the third of her baby campaign. All Set Lets Go rallied from the pocket into a :58.4 last half to overhaul pacesetter Trixie Dust by a head for trainer/driver Wilbur Yoder and the McMullen Stable LLC.
Only three of the winners here were the people’s choice; joining Electric Lemonade and All Set Lets Go as a winning favourite was the Andover Hall filly Bonnie Lou, who brushed to the top in front of the stands, then held off the determined uncovered bid of EZ Passer by a nose in 1:58.2. Andrew McCarthy performed sulky duties for trainer Donald Wiest, also co-owner and co-breeder with Ed Kimmel.
The father/son team of driver/son Marcus Miller and trainer/father Erv combined to produce a winner in the Yankee Glide miss Youvegotitwhatittakes, who certainly hadwhatittakes in overcoming a first-over journey to get past pacesetter and first-round winner Its Hallright by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.2 for owners Ronald Michelon, Paymaq Racing, and Louis Willinger.
The Explosive Matter filly Explosive Legacy pulled from the pocket before the three-quarter pole and out footed another winner from The Meadows, One Class Act, by 1-1/4lengths in 1:58.2. Victor Kirby was at the lines of the winning filly for trainer/breeder Morgan McInnis, co-owner with Brian Kleinberg.
(PHHA/Pocono)