There were four $40,541 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for two-year-old pacing males at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Monday, July 7, and trainer Ron Burke won two of them, sending out two favoured first-time starters, one of whom set a season’s record for colts and the other beating out a stablemate after a good battle.
It was obvious that the Stay Hungry-Francessa colt Frantic Hanover (pictured above) had a ton of ability, coming into his first purse start off a qualifier in which he paced his back three-quarters in 1:22 over a mile track. And he again showed superb promise while winning in 1:52.1, the season’s record for freshman colts on a five-eighths-mile track.
Thai Hanover shot out to command ahead of the winner, reached the quarter in :28, and then backed off the half to :57.3. After speeding up to a 1:25.1 three-quarter pole lead, Thai Hanover continued gamely and still had a :27 kicker in him, but he also had a determined colt chasing him to his right, and the photo decision gave the nod to Frantic Hanover by a head. Tim Tetrick drove the precocious freshman for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, Brad Grant and Knox Services.
Burke’s other All-Stars winner was Al Papi, a Papi Rob Hanover-Baron Remy colt coming off two Gaitway wins with sub-:55 back halves. That turn of quick foot served him well again today, as after sitting the two-hole to splits of :28.1 and :58, driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. moved the talented baby to the lead before a 1:26 three-quarters, then withstood onrushing stablemate Melillo (another one to watch for) in 1:53.1 for a mark. Al Papi is owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Lawrence Karr.
Papi Rob Hanover earned another All-Stars sire credit with Swig Hanover (dam Stolly Up Bluechip), who put up the fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:25.4, then held off favoured potential pocket rocket Wingin The Captain by a head in 1:53.2, also a mark. Tim Tetrick grabbed a second All-Stars credit by piloting the Darran Cassar trainee for Jessica and Cayla Cassar, Barry Charles, Robert Muscara and William Rochetti Jr.
The only gelding to win an All-Stars contest, Western Raptor (Wild Wild Western-Kitty Kitty Hawk), is now two-for-two after just missing his own section season’s mark by a tick with a 1:52.4 victory. Mike Wilder moved the winner to the lead after a :27.4 quarter, went on with midsplits of :56.4 and 1:25.2, then rushed home in :27.2 for trainer Norm Parker and owner Andrew Altobelli.
In a first-rate $33,784 fast-class mares pace, the Shadow Play mare Silk Cloud A showed both speed and grit in lowering her lifetime mark in 1:49.1. Lauren Tritton left like a flash with the winner, hung Talk Curdy With Me well past a :25.4 opener before yielding to the one to sit in the pocket to a :55 half. But Tritton sent her mare, a career winner of $694,050, back out at the five-eighths and to the lead by a 1:22 three-quarters; favoured Louisville GB loomed off cover, but Silk Cloud A found a little more and earned a one-length decision for trainer Peter Tritton and owners Eric Good and David Kryway.
Pennsylvania All-Stars competition for two-year-olds will also be featured on the week-ending Tuesday, July 8, 1 p.m. card at Pocono, with three $30,000 USD divisions for trotting fillies to be in the spotlight.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono Downs)