WILKES-BARRE PA – Ten qualifying events for two-year-olds were staged Wednesday morning at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with many well-pedigreed performers turning in solid efforts.
The Charlie Norris stable finished 1-2-3 in the fastest of three contests for filly trotters, as the Chapter Seven – Fraction miss Reciprocalbluechip sat in the pocket behind stablemate Sweet Sofie T, then came on to catch her barnmate by a nose in 1:59, her initial winning effort. Matt Kakaley was in the sulky behind Reciprocalbluechip, whose dam is a half-sister to Donato Hanover, for Carrie Norris, M T Pockets Stables, Acadia Farms, and G And B Racing.
Cherry Red also took advantage of a pocket journey to notch the quickest time among the three divisions for trotting males, earning a qualifying mark of 2:00.1, with back fractions of :59.2 – :29.3. The colt by Deweycheatumnhowe out of Cherry Lane, who can trace back through the generations to the likes of Keystone Sister and Stenographer, was driven by Mark MacDonald for trainer Ray Schnittker and owners/breeders Joseph and Christine Di Nicola.
Trainer/driver Gareth Dowse made a sweep of the two contests for pacing colts with a pair of first-time starters. The faster winner was Diamond Head, who came on from the pocket, his own last half in :56.1, to take a 1:55.2 decision. The son of Somebeachsomewhere – Artchitecture, a half-brother to millionaire Rock N Soul, is owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc., Matthew Dugan, and Robert Rosato.
Diamond Head’s victorious stablemate is the A Rocknroll Dance – Mcgibson colt Lyons Music, a 3/4-brother to Boston Red Rocks, who was in front all the way in 1:58.2, coming home in :57.1 - :28.2.
In the pacing filly events, Speaking Of Coffee was a pocket rocket, with the 1:57 win time her own best and the quicker of the two cuts. The daughter of Artspeak, the first foal of $487G+-winning dam Coffee Addict, was driven by Tom Jackson for trainer Justin Lebo and owners James Clarke Sr. and Andrew Altobelli.
A Somebeachsomewhere – Wild West Show full sister to Huntsville, Rodeo Beach has now gone behind the gate twice and both times reached the wire first in 1:57.1 – first at The Meadowlands, and then at Pocono today for driver Mark MacDonald and trainer Ray Schnittker.
Trainer/drivers Gareth Dowse and Åke Svanstedt, and the pairing of driver Mark MacDonald and trainer Ray Schnittker, scored honors on the day with two freshman victories each.