As befits a series designed to showcase developing stars, new lifetime marks were earned by all six winners of $20,000 divisions of third preliminary round action in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for three-year-old trotting males Monday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
Fastest winner was Marty De Vie, an altered son of Explosive Matter (who had a siring triple), who was moved to the lead by the track’s leading driver, George Napolitano Jr., past the quarter and went on to win in 1:54.4 for trainer Todd Buter and co-owners Lynette and Tyler Buter, James Marion and Gene Oldford Farms LLC. Marty De Vie has won three straight, and he has crossed the wire first in four straight outings, but in his first Stallion Series effort he made a late break and was placed second for a lapped-on break. He has been unbeatable ever since.
Driver Corey Callahan, who guided Hititoutofthepark to a $33.40 upset win in Sire Stakes action Sunday, brought home two overlooked winners in the Stallion Series. The faster was Blownoutofthewater, another Explosive Matter gelding who lowered his mark to 1:55.1 in his second hoppled start, rallying for a head tally over Iholdon, who almost lived up to his name. Steve Organ owns the winner, recently sent to the care of trainer Jenny Melander, who also had two Stallion Series seconds in addition to this win with her new charge.
A race earlier after Blownoutofthewater returned $19.20 to his backers, the Cantab Hall gelding Trot Commander posted a $23.80 win mutuel after scoring by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:57. Wheeled right back to the races by trainer Dirk Simpson after winning a conditioned event on Wednesday at The Meadows, Trot Commander followed the cover of Millbrook Hanover then, despite broken equipment, went by that foe in the lane to win for the Hinshaw Homestead Farms LLC (long-memoried fans will remember the LLC’s fellow Iowan Kermit Hinshaw and his fast trotter Jodevin, who was Two-Year-Old Colt Trotter of the Year 40 years ago).
Two other trotters reduced their speed badges to 1:55.1. First up was Tyson, a Donato Hanover gelding who was first-time Lasix for trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer, moving to the lead in front of the stands and then holding off pocketsitting Dominus Hanover by a head for the Purple Haze Stables, American Viking Racing Stable, Anderson Farms, and Marc Goldberg.
Also clocking in 1:55.1 was the third winning son of Explosive Matter, Leggs Matter, who interestingly was the only entire among the sextet of victors. Leggs Matter ran his lifetime record to 4-for-6 off a second-over trip for driver David Miller, trainer Robert W. Clark, and owners Denise Dennis and Frances Wilson.
Completing the group of six all setting lifetime marks, the SJs Caviar gelding Petrossian As lowered his tab to 1:56.4, going first-over against pacesetter Multitaskr Hanover then bettering that one by three-quarters of a length for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Annette Lorentzon, and ACL Stuteri AB.
(with files from PHHA/Pocono)