The Somebeachsomewhere-Rainbow Blue filly Rainbow Room, making her pari-mutuel debut, was 1-20 in her division of five $30,000 Pennsylvania All-Stars events for freshman pacing fillies Monday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but it was the Bettors Delight-In A Whisper filly Aims Whisper who recalled the adage “anything can happen in a short sprint to the wire,” getting past by the heavy chalk by a head in 1:53.2.
Rainbow Room was sent to the top by driver David Miller, reaching the first station in :27.3 and then able to back the half off to “walking-horse time” of :57.4. Even after speeding things up in the third panel to post a 1:26 split a quarter-mile from the finish, you would have been hard-pressed to find anyone to take a bet against “the Ohio Miller.”
And “the Ohio Miller” won – but it was Brett Miller and Aims Whisper, sitting in the pocket, who paced her own last quarter in :27.1 to take the photo from the heavy chalk. Trainer Kevin Lare and owner Frank Chick saw their filly, despite winning two straight including a p/m event here at Pocono, nonetheless return $64.20 to win to her scattered backers.
In the division right after Aims Whisper, Team Miller-Lare-Chick had the 1-5 favourite in the A Rocknroll Dance-Bootleg Yankee baby Yankee Will Dance, but it was “déjà vu all over again,” for after the big crowd choice laid down splits of :28, :56.2, and 1:24.3, another pocket rocket stole the headlines at the end -- the Somebeachsomewhere-See Major filly Majorsspeciallady and driver Matt Kakaley charged home in :28.1 from the two-hole, stopping the timer in 1:52.4.
Ron Burke conditions the promising distaffer for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and J&T Silva Stables LLC. Trainer Burke and owners Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi turned up victorious in three of the five cuts – none of the quintet going to the race favourite.
Kakaley drove one other of the Burke winners, the one with the fastest time – 1:52.3. That would be Strong Opinion, a Well Said-Rough Sketch filly who also used the Pocono Pike to paydirt, stepping home in :27.4. Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi co-own this filly with Jack Piatt II and Silva Pumel & Libby.
Burke also harnessed the first winner in the series, as the Bettors Delight-Double Crème filly Double A Mint overcame a 22-day stint since her last qualifier to go down the road in 1:55.1, with Yannick Gingras brushing her home in :26.3. This filly is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and Silva Pumel & Libby.
Somebeachsomewhere joined Bettors Delight as gaining double siring credit when Sarpa Hanover, out of Shaky Cam Hanover, won in 1:55.1 for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Brett Bittle. This was one race where it was an “advantage” to be first-over, as behind the leading two the pocket horse made a late break to scatter the others, and Sarpa Hanover went on about her business unaffected, paying $33.00 while winning for the Charles Kellers III and IV, E. Daniel Bittle and the trainer.
(PHHA/Pocono)