The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono is pleased to present an outstanding card this Sunday night, with $1.5 million in purses at stake: four $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship events for three-year-olds, and their attendant $50,000 consolations, along with three $100,000 Championships for the three divisions in the Great Northeast Open Series.
The luck of the entry box (and who did or not drop in) and the luck of the post position shake are likely to be storylines in many of these races. Here’s a look at each division, with the fields of the four Sire Stakes Championships and the three Great Northeast Series Championships listed afterward by post, horse, driver, and trainer.
$252,000 PENNSYLVANIA SIRE STAKES CHAMPIONSHIPS – THREE-YEAR-OLDS
TROTTING FILLIES (race 9)
The post position draw for this division would almost make it seem like a handicap race, as the two horses who tied for first in the point standings drew the far outside: Piranha Fury (post eight) and Live Laugh Love (post nine).
The likely favourite in this contest is Phaetosive, a daughter of Explosive Matter starting from post two for trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer and the Purple Haze Stables LLC. Phaetosive has never finished off the board in 13 career starts, has often been mentioned alongside “super fillies” Manchego and Atlanta, and comes into this race with four victories in her last five starts, including two wins in Sire Stakes action – and only Live Laugh Love in this field duplicated the double victories during the Sires prelims.
The divisional defending champion Manchego raced only once in the PaSS this year, and coming off her epic win over Hambletonian champion Atlanta, she did not drop in.
3TF CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD
1. Megadolce (David Miller, Nifty Norman)
2. Phaetosive (trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer)
3. Miss Jubilee Hill (Tim Tetrick, Mark Steacy)
4. Lily Stride (Tim Tetrick also listed, Mark Steacy)
5. Seviyorum (Andy Miller, Julie Miller)
6. Courtney Hanover (Scott Zeron, Rick Zeron – Team Atlanta)
7. Lima Charisma (Andrew McCarthy, Ake Svanstedt)
8. Piranha Fury (Dexter Dunn, Nifty Norman)
9. Live Laugh Love (David Miller also listed, Nifty Norman).
Consolation (race 3) – Hey Blondie, just a neck off in her only Sire Stakes start, will probably attract the most attention for Andrew McCarthy and Chuck Sylvester.
PACING FILLIES (race 10)
Kissin In The Sand, the Somebeachsomewhere filly who needed a win in her final prelim to ensure herself a spot in this field – and got it, is the likely favourite in this contest despite post seven for driver Scott Zeron, trainer Nancy Johansson, and owners Marvin Katz and the Hatfield Stables. Ranked in the North American Top Ten, Kissin In The Sand has six wins and three seconds in nine seasonal starts, and Pocono fans will long remember her gutty victory in the Lynch Final earlier this year despite being parked most of the mile.
Interesting note: Sidewalk Dancer was the 2017 PA Stallion Series champion; this year she “stepped up,” won two Sires prelims, and is a major danger here, along with Alexas Power.
3PF CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD
1. Aldine Hanover (Marcus Miller, Erv Miller)
2. Sidewalk Dancer (Brett Miller, Chris Oakes)
3. Alexas Power (Tim Tetrick, Jim Campbell)
4. Double A Mint (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke)
5. Parisian Blue Chip (Tim Tetrick also listed, Mark Steacy)
6. Serene Stride, #1 in points (Corey Callahan, Mark Harder)
7. Kissin In The Sand (Scott Zeron, Nancy Johansson)
8. Sansovina Hanover (Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke)
9. Scuola Hanover (David Miller, Andrew Stafford)
Consolation (race 4): Apple Hanover was a hard-charging second in a Sires event last time and will be among the principals from the rail for trainer-driver Eddie Dennis.
TROTTING COLTS (race 11)
A Hambletonian heat winner, the Earl Beal winner, and a double winner in the Sire Stakes prelims, Crystal Fashion certainly brings impressive credentials to this Championship. A winner seven times in eleven seasonal outings, the Cantab Hall gelding, trained by Jim Campbell for Fashion Farms LLC, is likely to be favoured despite drawing post eight, with Tim Tetrick slated as usual for sulky duty.
Whats The Word, starting just inside Crystal Fashion, was the only other finalist to record two PaSS prelim triumphs, but must be on his best behaviour to have any shot here.
3TC CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD
1. Hill Street (Yannick Gingras)
2. Exarch (Dave Palone, Ron Burke)
3. Donatover (trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer)
4. Patent Leather (David Miller, Jim Campbell)
5. Scirocco Rob (Corey Callahan, John Butenschoen)
6. Evaluate (Brian Sears, Marcus Melander)
7. Whats The Word (Simon Allard, Rene Allard)
8. Crystal Fashion (Tim Tetrick, Jim Campbell)
9. Make It A Double (Andy Miller, Julie Miller).
Consolation (race 5): Fashionwoodchopper, last year’s Sire Stakes champion in this division, could only make the consolation this year, and if he wins it will be for the first time in 2018.
PACING COLTS (race 12)
Dorsoduro Hanover, victorious in his only three Sire Stakes starts and also the Adios champion, was the top point winner, and he should attract major attention here. The Somebeachsomewhere gelding starts from post four for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Ron Burke, and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Silva, Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and the Wingfield Five.
Done Well, starting from the rail, has never lost in five PA Sire Stakes starts: three last year, and then a double in his last two races.
3PC CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD
1. Done Well (Tim Tetrick, Brian Brown)
2. This Is The Plan (Andrew McCarthy, Chris Ryder)
3. Macadoodledoo (David Miller, Mark Silva)
4. Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke)
5. Wes Delight (Corey Callahan, Mark Harder)
6. Hayden Hanover (Andy Miller, Julie Miller)
7. Captain Deo (Brett Miller, Tony Alagna)
8. Im A Big Deal (George Napolitano, Jr., Chris Ryder)
9. Albergo Hanover (Joe Bongiorno, Jennifer Bongiorno).
The consolation for this event did not fill.
$100,000 GREAT NORTHEAST OPEN SERIES CHAMPIONSHIPS (to be raced at 1¼ miles)
This summer-long series produced outstanding racing between Harrah’s Philadelphia and The Downs in the classes of open pacers, open trotters, and mare pacers. The talent of the horses is such that the world records for 1-1/4 miles over a 5/8-mile track, both set at Dover Downs, could well be in serious jeopardy: trotters, 2:24.3, Magician, 2001, and pacers, 2:19.4, Boulder Creek, 2006.
These GNOS championships are also a great showcase for the Pennsylvania-sired program: entrants who have also been PA champs include Agent Q and Caviart Ally (mare pace), double winning-mare Broadway Donna and Lagerfeld (open trot), and open pacer Donttellmeagain – unique in his story because while the others won their Sire Stakes final, he won his Stallion Series Championship last year, and then has stepped right up into the limelight.
MARE PACE (race 6)
Even though the top four point winners drew post five or inside, it’s the mare who finished eleventh in the points and got in by others not declaring who will command the most interest – Shartin N. And why shouldn’t see with her credentials – ranked #3 in the North American polls, with a seasonal record that shows $759,111 in earnings, best in U.S./Canada, and 14 wins, one off the lead, with two of those victories her only starts in the GNOS.
The daughter of Tintin In America will have to overcome post eight for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim King, Jr., and owners Richard Poillucci and Jo Ann Looney-King, but he has shown the ability to do it.
GNOS MARE PACE CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Divas Image, #1 in points (Joe Bongiorno, Jennifer Bongiorno)
2. L A Delight (Yannick Gingras, Nancy Johansson)
3. Agent Q (David Miller, Chris Oakes)
4. Bettorhaveanother (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke)
5. Tequila Monday (Eric Goodell, Hunter Oakes)
6. Nike Franco N (Tim Tetrick, Jim King, Jr.)
7. Blue Moon Stride (Corey Callahan, Mark Harder)
8. Shartin N (Tim Tetrick also listed and likely to drive, Jim King, Jr.)
9. Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy, Noel Daley).
OPEN TROT (race 7)
Homicide Hunter, the only horse in all the GNOS to win four races and (surprise!) his division’s point leader, was devastating last week at Pocono, winning in 1:51.4 without appearing to draw a laboured breath. Already a two-time world champion, the Mr Cantab gelding may add another line in the tables to his credit here as he begins from post seven for driver George Napolitano, Jr., trainer Chris Oakes, and Crawford Farms Racing.
GNOS OPEN TROT CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Satin Dancer (Tim Tetrick, Travis Alexander)
2. Muscle Diamond (Andrew McCarthy, Brett Bittle)
3. Broadway Donna (David Miller, Jim Campbell)
4. Tight Lines (trainer-driver Jeff Gregory)
5. In Secret (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke)
6. Smalltownthrowdown (Simon Allard, Rene Allard)
7. Homicide Hunter (George Napolitano, Jr., Chris Oakes)
8. Lagerfeld (Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter).
OPEN PACE (race 8)
This Championship drew the GNOS prelim’s top seven point winners, but it’s the two horses “from the bubble” who are very interesting: the aforementioned Dragon Again gelding Donttellmeagain, beaten a head last week to miss out on an automatic spot, but still getting in through non-declarations for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim King, Jr., and Paton Racing Stables Inc, and Western Joe, a recent winner of the McKee Memorial (at 1 1/8 miles) and a 1:47.2 outing – the Western Ideal entire was 26th in the standings but is in here because of nobody else declaring, good luck for driver Scott Zeron, trainer Chris Choate, and Anthony Ruggeri and Richard Tosies. These two start from post two and three, respectively; just inside them in this “handicap” is the #7 point winner, More The Better N, who insured his own spot with a neck victory at Pocono in his last start.
GNOS OPEN PACE CHAMPIONSHIP
1. More The Better N (Corey Callahan, Ross Croghan)
2. Donttellmeagain (Tim Tetrick, Jim King, Jr.)
3. Western Joe (Scott Zeron, Chris Choate)
4. Rodeo Romeo, #1 in points (George Napolitano, Jr., Chris Ryder)
5. Rockeyed Optimist (Brett Miller, Jake Leamon)
6. Highalator (Eric Carlson, Jenny Bier)
7. Mach It So (George Napolitano also listed, Jeff Bamond, Jr.)
8. Bettors Edge (Scott Zeron also listed, Jennifer Lappe)
9. Sunfire Blue Chip (Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter).
Post time for this great Pocono card on Sunday is 7 p.m.
(PHHA / Pocono)