Photo: Curtis Salonick
By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – 22-year-old driver Brett Beckwith, the Dan Patch Award winner for Rising Star earlier this year, came to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon and showed local fans that the U.S. of A. has a chance for the World Driving Championship in New Zealand in November with him as representative.
The young phenom won five races on the card, including the $27,500 featured fast-class pace with Spring Inhisstep A in 1:49.1. Beckwith guided the Somebeachsomewhere gelding to the lead before the :26.3 quarter, posted midsplits of :55 and 1:22.1, then kept his pacer rolling with mild vocal encouragement, keeping him 1¼ lengths clear of inside rallier Congressional to the wire. Spring Inhisstep A, now a winner of $452,036, is trained by Jeff Cullipher for Pollack Racing LLC.
Beckwith also had the sulky duty behind Manolete, who found a dropdown from facing some of the nation’s best colts just the rejuvenating ticket in a $20,000 pace for horses on the rise, with the Cattlewash sophomore colt taking a new mark of 1:49.4. The three-year-old did not get an easy trip: three-wide through much of a :26.4 quarter, coming first-over not much past a :54.2 half, then attacking pacesetting Odds On Wildfire through and past a 1:22 three quarters. But Beckwith appeared to know exactly what he needed to win, and his colt delivered nicely from trainer Bruce Saunders and the ownership of M&L Of Delaware LLC and M&M Harness Racing LLC.
“Double B” wasn’t done there winning feature races. He captured the first of two $17,500 subfeature contests for upcoming horses, this one on the pace, with the Captaintreacherous gelding Magnifico Hanover in 1:50. “Magnifico” worked to the lead by quarter, then put in successive back quarters of :27.2 to be in control for trainer Cote Keim, co-owner with Deo Volente Farms LLC and Thomas Pontone.
In the subfeature for up-and-comers on the trot, very few thought Brett could pull off a four-race feature sweep with 24-1 Green Mel, especially when that one made a break early. However, the race was a bizarre one, with heavy favorite Daiquiri Hanover appearing ready to go by on the far turn but then misstepping, taking 78% of the win pool with him. Green Mel was rallied by Beckwith and did come back to get second, where he stayed after a brief inquiry.
The horse who won may be the strangest story of all: the Kadabra gelding P L Quinella, driven by Anthony Napolitano for trainer Anthony Faulkner and owner Jaypaul Hoover. He had worked out a pocket journey, got a second life after the favorite jumped sweeping by, and was able to rally for the tally in a new mark of 1:53.2.
And he paid $65.00 to win -- which is actually the lowest price he’s paid in winning each of his last three starts at Pocono: he returned $81.60 on August 19, and a week later he won again at $66.00. Shipping to Tioga but not finding success, P L Quinella returned to the mountain oval Saturday and again blew up the board. The three bomber prices puts the horse top of the equine list; driver “ANap” has nine $50+ payoffs (no other driver has more than four); and trainer Faulkner now ties Darren Taneyhill in that trainers standings with three upsetters. The High 5 wager horses were, in order, 31-1, 24-1, 30-1, 13-1 (he was the second choice), and 22-1; yes, there will be a carryover into the next High 5 pool.
Pocono’s action will continue with Monday and Tuesday cards beginning at 1 p.m. In addition to the last race High 5 carryover mentioned above, the Monday card will find the Pick 5 in race five on Monday having a double carryover for bettors to aim for, along with a carryover into the first race Superfecta. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
WILKES-BARRE PA – 22-year-old driver Brett Beckwith, the Dan Patch Award winner for Rising Star earlier this year, came to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon and showed local fans that the U.S. of A. has a chance for the World Driving Championship in New Zealand in November with him as representative.
The young phenom won five races on the card, including the $27,500 featured fast-class pace with Spring Inhisstep A in 1:49.1. Beckwith guided the Somebeachsomewhere gelding to the lead before the :26.3 quarter, posted midsplits of :55 and 1:22.1, then kept his pacer rolling with mild vocal encouragement, keeping him 1¼ lengths clear of inside rallier Congressional to the wire. Spring Inhisstep A, now a winner of $452,036, is trained by Jeff Cullipher for Pollack Racing LLC.
Beckwith also had the sulky duty behind Manolete, who found a dropdown from facing some of the nation’s best colts just the rejuvenating ticket in a $20,000 pace for horses on the rise, with the Cattlewash sophomore colt taking a new mark of 1:49.4. The three-year-old did not get an easy trip: three-wide through much of a :26.4 quarter, coming first-over not much past a :54.2 half, then attacking pacesetting Odds On Wildfire through and past a 1:22 three quarters. But Beckwith appeared to know exactly what he needed to win, and his colt delivered nicely from trainer Bruce Saunders and the ownership of M&L Of Delaware LLC and M&M Harness Racing LLC.
“Double B” wasn’t done there winning feature races. He captured the first of two $17,500 subfeature contests for upcoming horses, this one on the pace, with the Captaintreacherous gelding Magnifico Hanover in 1:50. “Magnifico” worked to the lead by quarter, then put in successive back quarters of :27.2 to be in control for trainer Cote Keim, co-owner with Deo Volente Farms LLC and Thomas Pontone.
In the subfeature for up-and-comers on the trot, very few thought Brett could pull off a four-race feature sweep with 24-1 Green Mel, especially when that one made a break early. However, the race was a bizarre one, with heavy favorite Daiquiri Hanover appearing ready to go by on the far turn but then misstepping, taking 78% of the win pool with him. Green Mel was rallied by Beckwith and did come back to get second, where he stayed after a brief inquiry.
The horse who won may be the strangest story of all: the Kadabra gelding P L Quinella, driven by Anthony Napolitano for trainer Anthony Faulkner and owner Jaypaul Hoover. He had worked out a pocket journey, got a second life after the favorite jumped sweeping by, and was able to rally for the tally in a new mark of 1:53.2.
And he paid $65.00 to win -- which is actually the lowest price he’s paid in winning each of his last three starts at Pocono: he returned $81.60 on August 19, and a week later he won again at $66.00. Shipping to Tioga but not finding success, P L Quinella returned to the mountain oval Saturday and again blew up the board. The three bomber prices puts the horse top of the equine list; driver “ANap” has nine $50+ payoffs (no other driver has more than four); and trainer Faulkner now ties Darren Taneyhill in that trainers standings with three upsetters. The High 5 wager horses were, in order, 31-1, 24-1, 30-1, 13-1 (he was the second choice), and 22-1; yes, there will be a carryover into the next High 5 pool.
Pocono’s action will continue with Monday and Tuesday cards beginning at 1 p.m. In addition to the last race High 5 carryover mentioned above, the Monday card will find the Pick 5 in race five on Monday having a double carryover for bettors to aim for, along with a carryover into the first race Superfecta. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
RSS Feed
