The stars of harness racing arrived at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday, Aug. 22 for the $3.15 million Sun Stakes Satuday card, featuring the finals of the Max C. Hempt Memorial, Earl Beal Jr. Memorial, Delmonica Hanover and James M. Lynch Memorial, as well as graded stakes for older horses.
Brandon Blvd Best In Hempt Memorial
Brandon Blvd worked out a pocket trip behind Al Papi, angled to the inside in the stretch, and rushed home from there to post a 1-1/2-length win over Melillo in 1:48.2 in the $410,959 Grade 2 Max C. Hempt Memorial for three-year-old pacers.
Melillo (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), Brandon Blvd and Al Papi all left the gate quickly at the start, with Melillo being first to the front, but Dexter Dunn continued forward with Brandon Blvd to be a parked-out leader in a :27 opening quarter. Al Papi and driver Yannick Gingras immediately made their move to the top, leaving Brandon Blvd second and Melillo third on the way to the :54.3 half, with Gentlemans Club (Andrew McCarthy) charging on the outside first-over.
Gentlemans Club pressed Al Papi through three-quarters in 1:21.3 but was turned away heading into the stretch. Once in the lane, Brandon Blvd took the inside route to overtake Al Papi and then rebuffed a late rally from Melillo, who was sixth at three-quarters, to get his fourth win in his last five starts. Al Papi was third.
“I sort of thought there would be more leavers there, but we had (post two) and we were able to use it,” Dunn said. “But then I was happy to follow Yannick … and once I got down to the inside, (Brandon Blvd) did it pretty easy, actually. He raced great.”
Winning trainer Andrew Harris was happy with the trip.
“(Dunn) was worried about the Burke duo, so he tried to be the first one to the front,” said Harris, referring to the Ron Burke-trained Melillo and Al Papi. “When Yannick came around him, it was a perfect trip. Yannick’s horse was so tough to get us all the way where we needed to get to. Everybody else was coming at the end, so it was just a great race.
“He’s a great horse and when you put him in the right spot, he’s going to show up. Dex does a great job with him. That was a masterful drive today.”
Brandon Blvd, who finished third in his previous start in the Cane Pace on Aug. 8, has won six of nine races this year for the Punisher 11 Stable LLC ownership group. The son of Downbytheseaside-Alexis Faith has hit the board in 18 of 19 career races, winning 13 and earning $1,786,758.
“It’s one of those things where you’re always so worried about the next race that you don’t get to enjoy it until it’s done,” Harris said. “Right now, it’s great, though. It’s great to have a horse like this, he’s an amazing animal. I’m thrilled with the horse and it’s just a great ride.”
Sent off as the 2-1 favourite, Brandon Blvd paid $6.20 to win.
Thai Hanover ($90.20) was dismissed at 44-1 despite a speedy 1:57.4 win at the Washington (PA) Fair on Monday, but he delivered a 1:50.1 rebuke of those odds when Dexter Dunn gave him a second-over trip in the Hempt Memorial Consolation I. The altered son of Stay Hungry-Tempest Blue Chip paced past everybody in the latter stages, winning by 1-3/4 lengths. Watch Em Win (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) finished second, followed by Treacherous Lou (James MacDonald). Trainer Mitchell York shares ownership with Erin York.
In the Hempt Memorial Consolation II, favoured Toast Of The Town ($3) looked like he might be in a spot of trouble when he was parked well past a fiery opening number, but the Sweet Lou-New Year gelding and driver Jason Bartlett were not bothered at all, drawing clear through the latter stages of the mile to win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:48.4. Noel Daley recorded a second consecutive consolation II win with the fast pacer, owned by Let It Ride Stables Inc., Morrison Racing Stables, Jesmeral Stable and Alberg Racing.
Inexpressable Has Enough To Take Beal
The Walner-Ineffable colt Inexpressable seems to be peaking at an opportune time of the 2026 harness racing season, adding to his resume by winning the $410,959 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial Trot for three-year-old trotters. He lowered his mark to 1:51.1 in the game neck victory over favourite Diabolic Hill.
Diabolic Hill (Todd McCarthy) was sent away wide at the start and kept on going to reach the lead by a :26.4 quarter. Inexpressable came out from third and made a sharp move to the lead, then got a much-needed breather to a :56 half. The next challenge came from Minoan (Andrew McCarthy), who gradually came up into contention, with Magic Punk (Yannick Gingras) on his back and Diabolic Hill waiting in the pocket as the field went by the three quarters in 1:23.2 and raced along to the stretch.
The outside horses had difficulty making up ground quickly enough, but Diabolic Hill, perched in the pocket behind the pacesetter, went to the Pocono Pike to try to catch the leader up the rail. But Inexpressable dipped own deep into the solid foundation that Lucas Wallin had established, and he was able to ward off the potential pocket rocket by a neck, with Magic Punk rushing up late but settling for third.
Inexpressable, the winner of the Yonkers Trot, was sent off at 4-1. This win, his sixth lifetime in 12 starts, raised his lifetime earnings to $566,889 for Wallin Racing Stable Inc. and Karin Walter-Mommert. He paid $10.40.
In the Beal Memorial Consolation I, Dexter Dunn made it three level-one consolations in a row when he won the $273,973 Beal Memorial Consolation I with the Muscle Hill-Nixie Volo gelding Nix Nacken ($4.20), and the sophomore did it in style. Third to the quarter in :27.1, he showed a consistent forward gear despite being uncovered before the half in :55.4 and through three-quarters in 1:23 and crossed the wire in 1:51.1, a clocking which reduced the Pocono record for three-year-old geldings, established by Pinkman 11 years ago, by two fifths. Highland Destiny (Scott Zeron) finished second, followed by Hamlet Hall (Dave Palone) third.
Marcus Melander conditions the powerful winning trotter for Courant Inc. Nix Nacken is now five-for-22 lifetime and has earned $511,071.
In the Beal Memorial Consolation II, Highball Hanover, a son of Bar Hopping-Hall Of A Dream who had won at odds-on in his last two Pocono starts, paid a bit higher than that -- $79.40 -- after lowering his mark to 1:52.3 for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Noel Daley, and owners Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Sjoblom Racing & M. Dolan, Caviart Farms, and P C Wellwood Enterprises Inc. Highball Hanover came with a big move down the backstretch, avoided two breakers to get the lead with an eighth left, and then withstood Create Escape (Dexter Dunn) by three-quarters of a length. Rubens (Dan Daley) was fourth-placed third.
Victorianas Secret Matches Delmonica Hanover Stakes Record
Victorianas Secret came first-up past the half and powered off to victory in the $342,466 Delmonica Hanover Stakes for three-year-old filly trotters, with the time of 1:51.2 equalling the stakes and track record set by Yo Tillie in the same race a year ago.
Ronnie Wrenn Jr. got the Tactical Landing-Victoriana filly away in fourth from the rail as Pennsylvania-based Little Road (Brady Brown), sent off as the favourite, went right to the top and forced opponents to take seats behind her to the :27 quarter. Setyoursightshigh (Dexter Dunn), last year’s divisional Dan Patch champion, rushed to the lead in front of the stands and reached the half in :55.2, just as the eventual winner began her outside move.
Victorianas Secret inexorably gained ground the length of the backstretch and was battling with the pacesetter at the 1:23.3 three-quarters; nearing the middle of the turn, she had taken a short lead. Custom (Jason Bartlett) was on her back and tipped wide to mount a stretch challenge, and she did well, but Victorianas Secret stayed sturdy and won by half a length. Longshot Crossover (Mattias Melander) claimed third.
Largely unheralded until late spring, Victorianas Secret has put herself squarely in contention for divisional recognition, winning five of her last six starts, including a 1:50 mile at Lexington two weeks ago. The Vernon Beachy trainee has now boosted her earnings to $565,076 for owner Ryan Smith. She is eight-for-17 lifetime.
In the $171,233 Delmonica Hanover Consolation I, favoured Busy Miss Lissy S ($3.20) was making a frontward move on the first turn when she lapsed from gait, and though catching in quick order was still seventh late on the backstretch. But Dexter Dunn got the filly, who had the shoes off, into a high gear and into a good far-turn flow, and the victorious daughter of Calgary Games-Hills Angel S just kept on coming through the lane to just catch Southwind Chaska (Tim Tetrick) by a nose in 1:52.4. Rose Run Brooke (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was third. Ake Svanstedt trained both Delmonica Hanover consolation winners, this one for Panamera Racing.
In the $102,740 Delmonica Hanover Consolation II, the Tactical Landing-Call Me Bi It filly Isabella Bi ($20.20) sat in third, backed out behind clearing first-up favourite Nuance (Dexter Dunn) nearing the far turn, then was able to gradually wear down the chalk by a head, with the 1:51.4 final time. Sparks (Yannick Gingras) finished third. Svanstedt also drove Isabella Bi, a 9-1 proposition who took off her shoes for the contest, and co-owns her via Ake Svanstedt Inc. with Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Little E LLC and Mr Lars Olsson.
Sangria Summer Delights In Lynch Memorial
Sangria Summer sat behind duelling leaders Darlins Angel and Be Perfect Bg around the final turn, then ducked to the inside in the stretch to rally for a one-length win in the $342,466 Grade 1 James M. Lynch Memorial for three-year-old female pacers, in a stakes-record 1:48.4.
Pacesetter Darlins Angel finished second, and Be Perfect Bg was third. The previous Lynch Memorial stakes record was 1:49, set by Grace Hill in 2021.
Darlins Angel and driver Lauren Tritton took the lead in a :26.3 opening quarter, with Sangria Summer settling into second and Be Perfect Bg third. The order remained unchanged through the :55.2 half before Dexter Dunn launched a first-over bid with Be Perfect Bg on the way to three-quarters in 1:22.1. Be Perfect Bg got within a half-length of Darlins Angel heading to the stretch, but Sangria Summer and driver James MacDonald ducked into the Pocono Pike to find open road and surge to victory with a :26.2 last quarter.
“That’s the dream trip at Pocono; you want to be close to the lead and then when you get two heavyweights throwing down on the front end you’re licking your chops behind it,” MacDonald said. “It’s a good feeling. I was just hoping she would have a good kick because it was a big back half, and she just powered home hard.”
The win was Sangria Summer’s third in a row and fourth in her last five races for trainer Luc Blais and owner Determination. In her previous start, she won the Grade 3 Shady Daisy at the Meadowlands, in which Darlins Angel and Be Perfect Bg were second and third, respectively.
Sangria Summer, who was trained by co-owner Kevin Benn before being purchased by Determination on May 1, has won six of 21 career races, hit the board another six times, and earned $487,874.
“She’s just a gem,” MacDonald said. “Kevin Benn does such a great job bring these things along as young horses and she just keeps getting better and better. Luc bought her, and I know she’s progressed every week.
“She’s a filly that seems to be peaking right now and hopefully we can keep her good for a long time.”
Sent off as the 2-1 second choice, Sangria Summer paid $6.80 to win.
In the $171,233 Lynch Memorial Consolation I, leading driver Tyler Buter largely avoided first-turn confusion with Say Goodnight ($14.80), a daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-One Last Kiss and a divisional PASS champion last season, and got her moving quickly down the backstretch to clear to the lead past favourite Lavender Seelster (Todd McCarthy) nearing the far turn. The filly then dug in to withstand a resurgence by the favourite by a half-length to win in a career-best 1:50.1. Spoon Fed (Dave Palone) finished third. Nicholas Devita trains the winner for owners David Hamm and Glenn Phillips.
In the $102,750 Lynch Memorial Consolation II, Amira Hanover ($5.60), a daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-Ameraway, set sail out of the gate, forcing favoured Big Weekend (Matt Kakaley) into the pocket, then drew clear of that rival and the rest of the field throughout the last half, winning by 9-3/4 lengths while taking a new mark of 1:50.1. Big Weekend was second with Caviart Madrid (Todd McCarthy) third. Joe Bongiorno drove and trains the impressive winner, second choice at 9-5, for Odds On Racing.
Nordic Catcher S Ties World Record In Sebastian K
Nordic Catcher S won the $136,986 Grade 3 Sebastian K Trot for older trotters in 1:50.3, equalling both the world record for a four-year-old trotting stallion on a five-eighths-mile oval as well as the track record.
Nordic Catcher S and trainer/driver Åke Svanstedt stormed to the front from post two in a :25.4 opening quarter before 3-5 favourite Lexus Kody pushed forward from fourth to take the lead passing the grandstand for the first time on the way to a :54.1 half. Nordic Catcher S followed Lexus Kody from the pocket before being flushed to the outside nearing three-quarters by a charging Resolve To Win (Todd McCarthy) from the rear of the seven-horse field.
Lexus Kody remained on top to three-quarters, in 1:23.1, but Nordic Catcher S took over from there and opened up daylight on the field en route to his second victory in three races this season since returning from an injury that sidelined him after winning last year’s Hambletonian. He was clear by 2-3/4 lengths over Resolve To Win at the line, with Hillexotic third.
The mile tied that of Uncle Peter, who set both the world record for a four-year-old trotting stallion and the Pocono mark in 2013.
“It’s just great to have him back,” assistant trainer Sarah Svanstedt said. “It was heartbreaking that he got injured in the Hambletonian last year. The process to bring him back, and the rehab he had to do, and making it back, there are no words for it. I’m very happy and proud of him.”
Nordic Catcher S is a son of Six Pack out of the pacing mare That Woman Hanover.
“When I saw the watch at :25(.4), I was thinking that’s a little bit of (the pacer) showing up here,” Sarah Svanstedt said with a laugh. “He has a tremendous gait and he’s big and strong. The track is very nice here today and the weather too. I was thinking (Åke) wanted to be right on a helmet with him, so everything worked out good. It was a good race for him.”
Nordic Catcher S is owned by Åke Svanstedt Inc. and Little E LLC. For his career, he has hit the board in 12 of 13 career races, winning seven and earning $1,216,972.
Sent off as the 6-5 second choice in the race named after former Svanstedt Stable star Sebastian K S, Nordic Catcher S paid $4.60 to win.
The victory highlighted the training trio for Svanstedt, who also won both Delmonica Hanover consolations. The newly elected Hall of Famer has 73 wins this year from 359 starts.
For Once Inmy Life Sprints Home In Always B Miki
For Once Inmy Life and driver Jordan Stratton used a late burst in the stretch to win the $136,986 Grade 3 Always B Miki Pace, for older pacers, by a nose over Surreal Ideal and half-length over pacesetting favourite Dandy Ideal in 1:48.4.
Sent off at odds of 18-1, For Once Inmy Life settled behind Dandy Ideal as the 1-5 betting choice set fractions of :26.4 to the opening quarter, :55.2 to the half, and 1:22.1 to three-quarters. Entering the stretch, Stratton moved For Once Inmy Life to the inside, and his gelding went by Dandy Ideal and fended off a rally from Surreal Ideal, even farther inside, to secure the victory.
“Kudos to (Surreal Ideal) because my horse is very fast off a helmet and he was getting by me, but the wire came at the right time,” Stratton said.
The win was the ninth in 20 starts this season for the six-year-old son of Downbytheseaside-Flyme To The Moon, and the most lucrative triumph of his career. Lifetime, For Once Inmy Life has won 23 of 74 starts and earned $880,809. The gelding is owned by Winters Racing Stable.
“He’s been knocking on the door the last couple of weeks,” said Stratton, who drove For Once Inmy Life for his brother, trainer Cory Stratton. “He just missed at The Meadowlands in his last start there (in a division of the Sam McKee Memorial on Aug. 8) and he got a good trip tonight and he was really good.
“He’s been a good horse his whole life. He got really sharp at The Meadowlands a couple winters ago and they finally gave him a chance against the tougher horses on the Grand Circuit, and I’m glad that he finally got a win. Thanks to my brother and his wife Vicki, they do a great job. I’m really a big family guy, and it’s a little extra spot in my heart (to share it with them).”
For Once Inmy Life paid $39.80 to win.
A replay of the Sun Stakes Saturday card livestream is below.
(USTA & PHHA/Pocono; photo clockwise from top left of Inexpressable, Sangria Summer, Victorianas Secret and Brandon Blvd)