The Well Said gelding Iluvtomakemoney continued to live up to his name by remaining perfect after three starts in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for two-year-old pacing colts on Sunday night at Pocono Downs, but the 4-5 choice had to be very good to defeat 25-1 shot Size Me Up by a neck in 1:54.1.
Tim Tetrick got the colt away in the pocket, normally a great place to be at Pocono, but when Thomas B Hanover and then Size Me Up made sweeping moves on the far turn, Tetrick had to wait to get clearance and was in fact back to sixth mid-turn before a breaker opened a clear outside path for him and his horse. Almost three lengths down at the stretch call, Iluvtomakemoney showed gritty determination with his late rally to keep his Stallion Series record clean for trainer Mark Harder and owner Joseph Jannuzzelli.
Three other colts added their second Stallion Series victory on Sunday, with the A Rocknroll Dance half-brother to Pure Country, Grand Teton, taking the fastest of all five of the Stallion Series action in 1:52.3. Brett Miller had to take his charge on the rough first-over route, but the colt reflected his pedigree by coming his own back half in :54.4 raw while overtaking Ideal Flip by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.3. Jimmy Takter conditions the talented youngster, now undefeated in three pari-mutuel starts, for Diamond Creek Racing.
Also now three-for-three in betting races is one of two altered sons of Ponder to win in the Stallion Series action, Like Clockwork. Mike Wilder made the trip northeast to guide the freshman, and he moved him to the lead past the quarter, got a soft second panel, then had enough to come home in :28.1 to complete a 1:54.2 victory, holding pocket-sitter Beach Watch safe by a half-length for Fred Grant, handling the local care of the freshman, and the Birnam Wood Farms of Seth “Macbeth” Rosenfeld.
The other son of Ponder to wind up in Victory Lane was Yupper, with the gelding getting a fine trip in the pocket, then stepping home in :56.1 to hold off the late rush of Dancinat Midland by three-quarters of a length and take a new mark of 1:53.4 for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Rollie Mallar, and the Anatolia Farm LLC.
The only first-time winner in the Stallion Series emerging Sunday was a colt breaking his maiden – Go West Go Fast, who reversed his name and came from The Meadows to Pocono to get his breakthrough victory in 1:54.3. The winner stepped a :27.3 last quarter from the pocket to overhaul pacesetting 1-5 favourite Plus One (the only losing chalk of the five) by three parts of a length for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Ron Burke, and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, Silva Purnel&Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Monday night this division’s Sire Stakes colts go in races three, four, and five, with Done Well, the only winner in both of the first two legs, looking the one to beat in the initial section. Plenty of other young pacing talent will be joining him on the red clay Pocono surface in the three Monday heats.
(PHHA/Pocono)