Although a half length winning margin might not suggest so, the Muscle Hill–Cooler Schooner freshman trotting gelding Real Cool Sam was absolutely in control in his division of the $184,018 final preliminary of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) for two-year-old trotting colts Sunday night (Aug. 25) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
Real Cool Sam and driver David Miller were looped out of the gate as Big Oil was hustled to the top, but the double world champion methodically made his way forward to the lead in :29.1 with his rivals showing respect and letting him get to the half in :59. Rome Pays Off, a winner in his only PASS start, came uncovered and gained through and past three-quarters in 1:28.
In the stretch Rome Pays Off grudgingly gave ground, but Big Oil still looked fresh in the pocket and ready to mount a passing-lane dash. Yet Real Cool Sam held firm through the lane, with Big Oil getting to within a half length of the winner but not in a menacing fashion; Rome Pays Off stayed on for third.
Real Cool Sam is undefeated in seven starts, winning three Sire Stakes, the Peter Haughton elim and final, and a PA All-Stars division. Jim Campbell and Fashion Farms LLC have seen their trotter earn $294,038 already, with many big stakes to come.
The other PASS cut went to the Cantab Hall–Oh My Darlin colt Capricornus, a winner in his PASS bow in 1:55.2, equaling his mark. Tim Tetrick sent the winner to the top not long before the :28.2 quarter, then kept King Alphonso, who had been parked behind him early, out almost to the :57.4 half before yielding the lead and letting his rival carry the lead past the 1:26.4 three-quarters and into the stretch.
Capricornus went to the Pocono Pike and was able to overhaul the tough leader, then held off EL Ideal rallying to his inside by three-quarter lengths with King Alphonso third. Marcus Melander appears to have another good trotting colt in the two-time winner for the JJ Stable.
The two-year-old Sires Stakes Championships will be held at Philly on Sunday, Sept. 8.
On the Stallion Series side, there were four divisions, with the Muscle Hill–Oyster Kronos colt Beyond Kronos going the fastest mile of all the babies by remaining undefeated in three Stallion Series races. Beyond Kronos grinded first-up and worked to defeat pacesetting Askmelater Hanover, hard-used early, by a neck in a lifetime-best 1:54.4 for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim Campbell, and owners Jeffrey and Michael Snyder.
Town Victor wound up as leading prelim pointwinner on the strength of three wins and a third in the Stallion Series, including his 1:55.3 win Sunday for driver Matt Kakaley, which gave him a new mark. The Winning Mister–P Town Girl gelding is already a five-time winner for trainer Rich Gillock, co-owner with Barbara Richardson.
The other two Stallion Series winners broke their maidens: Maesterdaemon, an Andover Hall–Angel Pie colt who won in 1:58 for Team Melander, driver Mattias and trainer Marcus, and the S R F Stable; and Don Grigio, by Donato Hanover – Crazy Grigio, home in 1:57 for driver Corey Callahan, trainer John Butenschoen, and Crawford Farms Racing.
All of the Stallion Series Championships will be held here at Pocono on Monday, Sept. 9.
(PHHA/Pocono)