The cream of the state-sired two-year-old pacing filly crop contested three $60,000+ divisions of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on Sunday night (Aug. 5) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
In the first division, Stonebridge Soul went to the top, but she was passed first by Treacherous Reign near the :27.4 quarter, then by Sylph Hannover, who went a big second quarter to grab the lead well before the :55.1 half. Sylph continued on a tear to the 1:22.3 three-quarters -- a :54.4 middle half -- but in the stretch the Captaintreacherous-Scandalous Hanover miss Treacherous Reign was able to pass the pacesetter to stop the clock in 1:51.1, a half-length better than Sylph Hanover, with a flying Sweeter Lulu another one and a quarter lengths back in third.
That 1:51.1 was significant in several respects. It was a lifetime mark for the winner, now two-for-three in her career; it set a season’s record for the division on five-eighth-mile tracks; and it tied her as fastest baby filly overall with three fillies who went that fast on bigger tracks (Tellitsassymae, Key West, and Glorious Virgin).
Andrew McCarthy handled the speedy miss for trainer Tony Alagna and the ownership of Alagna Racing LLC, Big Als Stable, Let It Ride Stables Inc., and Dana Parham.
The second division featured Shes Allright, who won a Sire Stakes at the start of her three-for-three beginning to her career, but her fortune did not carry on this night despite 1-5 favouritism. Shes Allright moved to the lead in front of the stands after a :27.3 quarter and was able to stroll to the half in :58.1, but then she really had to turn on the jets as Blue Ivy made a big move in the :27.1 backside (1:25.2 three-quarters) and into the turn, and when dueling with Blue Ivy, She’s Allright made a midturn break.
Blue Ivy thus had a two-length lead head-stretch, but the A Rocknroll Dance–Philadelphia miss Rockn Philly, who was used in tucking third early, moved outside nearing the top of the lane and had a huge late kick, winning in 1:53.2, four and a quarter lengths ahead of rail-shooting 60-1 shot Sweet Lucy Lou, with Blue Ivy third.
Driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr., who had teamed at Philly earlier in the day to take a two-year-old pacing colt Sire Stakes division with Crimson And Chrome, were the guiding forces behind the winner, who took a new mark for owners CC Racing LLC and Jo-Ann Looney-King.
The third section was a showdown of unbeatens and previous PASS winners, Warrawee Ubeaut (two-for-two) and Bestseller Hanover (three-for-three). Bestseller Hanover made the lead at the three-sixteenths mark en route to a :27 opener, but Warrawee Ubeaut was underway soon after that point to command just past the three-eighths, getting the middle clockings in :56.2 and 1:24.3.
Bestseller Hanover had stayed tight in the pocket, came out in the lane, and paced home well, but Warrawee Ubeaut had a :27.3 last quarter in her to equal her lifetime mark of 1:52.1, with Bestseller Hanover second, a length back, and Izzy Hanover another three-quarters of a length back in third.
Yannick Gingras and Ron Burke are the team behind Warrawee Ubeaut, and a comparison between this filly and a colt counterpart from the same two horsemen, De Los Cielos Deo (also a Philly winner in the afternoon), is apt in that both horses look like they haven’t shown their best yet, that although undefeated, they haven’t been fully extended. This is a thought certainly cheering to the ownership of the victorious Sweet Lou–Great Memories filly: Burke Racing Stable LLC, Phil Collura, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Six divisions of Stallion Series baby pacing fillies will be the highlight events on the Monday card at The Downs.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)