Third-round Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series action for three-year-old trotting fillies headlines the Sunday night (May 26) program at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with Sonnet Grace looking to bounce back into the win column and Millies Possesion seeking to keep an unblemished record intact in their respective $55,168 events.
In the first division (race five), Sonnet Grace has been accorded early favouritism from post five for trainer Ron Burke and driver Matt Kakaley. The Muscle Massive filly, whose granddam is the great CR Kay Suzie, was victorious in a Sire Stakes event in her first start of the year, then miscued at The Meadows last week. Among her opposition is Åke Svanstedt trainee Hallintheclouds (George Napolitano Jr., post one), who also won in first-round Sire Stakes action.
The second division (race 10) features The Ice Dutchess, who was generally regarded as second-best filly in her class last year behind the talented Woodside Charm and posted a 1:52 win at The Meadowlands in her seasonal debut. A five-time winner with earnings of $424,540 last year, the daughter of Explosive Matter will begin from the outside post seven for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Nancy Johansson. Three fillies who are already Sire Stakes winners this year – Asiago (Napolitano, post five), Jazzy Fashion (David Miller, post four) and Antonia (Dexter Dunn, post two) – may provide formidable opposition.
The third division (race 11) features the only double Sire Stakes winner in this group to date, Millies Possesion, who is also undefeated in three career starts for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Jim Campbell. Like The Ice Dutchess, the daughter of Possess The Will will start from post seven. Other top contenders include Firedbylindie (Kakaley, post three), a Sire Stakes winner at The Meadows; and Beautiful Sin (Tim Tetrick, post two), a $480,000 yearling who had three wins and two second-place finishes as a two-year-old.
(with files from PHHA/Pocono)