WILKES-BARRE PA – Millies Possesion remained undefeated in five career starts, while The Ice Dutchess set a North American season’s record as the two most impressive winners in four $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for three-year-old trotting fillies Sunday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
The Possess The Will – Fashion Athena filly Millies Possesion led the field settle past the :28.1 quarter, then moved to the lead for driver Dexter Dunn moving towards the :57.2 half. Nearing the 1:26.1 three-quarters, Millies Possesion let out a notch, and the issue looked never in doubt during the :28 last quarter, as at the end of the 1:54.1 mile she was 1½ lengths ahead of Jezzys Legacy, with Navarone Hanover another length back while winning a photo for third from Beautiful Sin, the $480,000 yearling who had to go uncovered from beyond midpack.
Jim Campbell is the trainer of the developing filly, a three-time Sire Stakes winner this year for owner/breeder Fashion Farms LLC.
The season’s record broken by The Ice Dutchess had been set 36 minutes earlier when Personal Paradise lowered her mark over five seconds with a victory in 1:53.3. The Muscle Hill - Armbro Déjà Vu filly, a half-sister to Dejarmbro and a $265,000 yearling purchase, was sent as far as she could as fast as she could by trainer/driver Åke Svanstedt, putting up scorching numbers of :27.1, :55, and 1:23.1, with her official lead eight lengths at the stretch call. That lead, though, quickly shrank as Magical Beliefs led the late charge, but Personal Paradise kept trying after the exhausting tempo, retaining a half-length advantage over Magical Beliefs at the wire for the ownership of Melby Gard Inc.
Yannick Gingras picked up a second stakes sulky success behind the Muscle Hill - Platinum T filly Asiago in 1:55.3. Gingras waited outside early with the double Sire Stakes winner, pressed on past the :28.2 to the lead and got a breather to a :58.3 midpoint. From there quarters of :28.3 and :28.2 were well within the capability of the $200,000 yearling, as Keystone Abbey tried to run her win streak to five but came up 2 1/2 lengths short of the in-hand winner, who is trained by Per Engblom for Marvin Katz, Sam Goldband, Al Libfeld, and Black Horse Racing.
The big claimers were all shifted to the Sunday card, and 18 horses changed hands for $366,500, bringing the local seasonal total over $4.5 million.