Pure Country put an exclamation point on trainer Jimmy Takter's Hambletonian/Oaks-winning weekend as she remained undefeated with the easiest of 1:53.2 victories in one of four divisions of the $253,980 third preliminary leg of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies on Sunday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
The fabulous filly by Somebeachsomewhere out of Western Montana was directed to the front early by Brett Miller, reaching that station in :28 and then getting a walk to the park with a :58 half. Up came Shesasmokinlady on a big first-over move, and out came the earplugs as Pure Country got to the three-quarters in 1:26, and she then finished in :27.2 under a stretch-long hold by Miller in winning by two and a quarter lengths. Heelsonthebeach, who had sat second behind the winner through much of the mile but was past by Shesasmokinlady nearing the three-quarters, came back in the lane for second, with Shesasmokinlady settling for third.
Pure Country is the only filly to have won in each of the first three Sires Stakes legs, and she is four-for-four in purse competition, having started her career at Pocono with a PA All-Stars win. She was bred and is owned by Diamond Creek.
Fastest of the four miles was the 1:52.1 hung up by Yankee Moonshine (Yankee Cruiser-Bootleg Yankee). She was moved early to command by driver Matt Kakaley and then held off the late charge of Princess Fabulosa by three-quarters of a length while taking a new mark. Ron Burke trains the fast baby for the ownership of Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Lawrence Karr, and JT45.
In this victory, Yankee Moonshine was the only non-previous Sires Stakes winner to tally (she was 2-3 in her earlier prelims), and she was the only winner to have raced for a purse since the July 17 Meadows Sires Stakes leg, having won an Arden Downs event on Adios Day. She was the 6-5 second choice behind 4-5 chalk Ivy League (Somebeachsomewhere-See You At Peelers), who was in perfect second-over position when she lost her momentum in the final turn and finished back.
The Well Said-Silkandidamonds filly I Said Diamonds moved to second-place in the divisional point standings behind Pure Country by becoming a "pocket rocket" under the handling of David Miller and earning a new speed badge of 1:52.3. The winner now has two triumphs and a second in the Sires Stakes, with Paul Holzman doing the conditioning for owner Omar Beiler, Susan Oakes, and Dennis Coons.
Another two-time Sires Stakes winner, and giving Somebeachsomewhere a siring double, is Call Me Queen Be, out of the mare Preppy Party Girl, who also came out of the two-hole, just nipping pacesetting Shezarealideal by a head in 1:52.4. Scott Zeron handled sulky duties for trainer Ross Croghan and owners Dana Parham and the Let It Ride Stables Inc.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)