The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono produced fireworks on the racetrack for the fourth of July, as five divisions of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts raced their first preliminary leg – and each of the races was a fast or faster than any division before it. And as much as the racing babies, sire Somebeachsomewhere was a star in the stakes sections, siring four of the five winners.
Hall of Fame driver David Miller captured the first two divisions, first parading back to Victory Lane with Beach House, who made a second move in front of the grandstand to control the pace, stepping home in :27.2 to complete a 1:52.4 victory for trainer Rich Gillock and owner Harry Locke. Beach House was the only one among Monday’s successful quintet with a previous purse victory, a 1:54.1 win at The Meadows.
Miller came right back to win with the only non-Somebeachsomewhere colt, Fear The Dragon, a Dragon Again colt who spent much of the mile stalking 1-5 favourite Filibuster Hanover. Despite that freshman throwing back numbers of :54.4 – :26.4 on the lead, Filibuster Hanover was still able to rally for a head tally in 1:52.2 for trainer Brian Brown and Emerald Highlands Farm.
Brown’s favoured Downbytheseaside followed Huntsville down the backside in the next division until that one cleared to the top in third quarter, and Huntsville went on with a :55 back half and a :27.2 last panel to stay neck ahead of the chalk in 1:51.4 for driver Tim Tetrick. Trainer Ray Schnittker co-owns the precocious youngster with Ted Gewertz, Charles Iannazzo, and Steve Arnold.
Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter, who had a victory at Pocono a couple of nights ago with a pretty good pacer named Always B Miki, then was the conditioner for the final two Sire Stakes winners, with the first, The Wall, surrendering the early advantage down the backstretch, then being a real Fourth of July pocket rocket, also notching a final clocking of 1:51.4. Brett Miller guided The Wall for the ownership of Christina Takter, John Fielding, Brixton Medical Inc and Hatfield Stables.
And just when you were breathless from the speed show the first four babies put on, the fifth one goes faster! Blood Line - with a name like that, you have to look up the pedigree, and sure enough dam Blood Diamond is a three-quarter sister to millionaires If I Can Dream and Western Terror - did triumph as the favourite in 1:51.3, but 33-1 shot Summer Side (whom you can add to your “Horses Named After Racetracks” list) pushed him hard in the :27.2 last quarter, but wound up a half-length short on the money. Yannick Gingras handled sulky duties for Diamond Creek Racing (who teamed with Takter for a weekend triumph here with a nice filly named Pure Country).
It wasn’t quite The Spirit of 1776 on the Fourth of July at Pocono, but longshots JK Allnitelong ($34.00) and Cheap N Easy ($56.20) did combine to form a $776.20 Daily Double.
More two-year-old stakes colts on Tuesday at The Downs, as trotters square off in five $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars contest.
(PHAA/Pocono)