Oakmont, trained by George Teague, Jr. and driven by Jim Morrill, Jr., came charging down the lane Wednesday, August 26 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs to capture the first $20,000 division of six Pennsylvania Stallion Series races
.
Leaving from the two post, Oakmont sat fourth or fifth throughout most of the race before making a torrid stretch drive to catch and pass front runner Native Justice (Joe Pavia Jr.) and win in 1:53.
Native Justice left quickly from the three-hole to grab the lead, taking the seven-horse field to the opening split in :26.3 before Panskrit (Jason Bartlett) became the new leader at the half, registered in :54.2. Native Justice later regained the lead and got to the three-quarter pole in a torrid 1:22.4 before Oakmont made the late charge to win by two lengths over Earlymorninarrival (Greg Grismore) with Native Justice third.
Half Moon Bay, trained and driven by Roger Hammer, won the second division by coming up the Pocono Pike (passing lane) to win by a half length over Morrill, Jr. and Manofleisuresuit. Third in this race was Yaoza (Andrew McCarthy). Time of this mile over a fast track was 1:55.3.
In the third division, it was Bartlett driving Sleek Hanover to a wire-to-wire victory from the seven post for trainer Erv Miller. Sleek Hanover stopped the timer in 1:54.1 with second-place going to Sandragon Mindale (Morrill, Jr.) and the third-place finisher in the race Iwannarace Hanover (Ben Stafford, Jr.), who overcame an early break in this race.
“He was waiting for someone to race at the half,” said Bartlett in the winner’s circle following the Sleek Hanover win. “My horse was strictly in hand. Erv [Miller] told me before the race that the horse was a little lazy. We just went forward.”
Bartlett collected his second win of the night with five-year-old mare Ubetterthink Think. This winner, trained by Mark Ford, won in 1:51.4 in a non-winners of $10,000 last five starts or nine extended pari-mutuel races lifetime.
Those two wins in the first eight races inched Bartlett closer to the 3,000 win plateau. He came into the Wednesday night card needing seven wins to reach that milestone.
The other Pennsylvania Stallion Series winners were Sectionline Blast (1:55.1), Tom Paine (1:54.1) and Joltin Colt (1:54.4).
(With files from Pocono Downs)