Photo: Curtis Salonick
By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Over an oval rated “sloppy” for the Saturday feature races at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Spring Inhis Step A again lived up to his name, taking the $25,000 pace for fast-class horses in 1:49.3.
Another winning favorite on a big day for the chalk, Spring Inhis Step was pushed to a :26.4 quarter before clearing to the leader for driver Brett Beckwith, who then went right along with the winner of $384,946, putting up midfractions of :55.1 and 1:22.3. Spring Inhis Step A stayed in control through the lane, getting one reminder from Beckwith to keep his mind to business, and the veteran responded sharply for trainer Jeff Cullipher and owner Pollack Racing LLC.
The Always A Virgin gelding Virgo, possessor of great early speed, took quick control from the pole forcing his opposition in behind him, set the pace as he pleased, then left everyone behind with a :26.1 kicker to take the $16,500 fast-class pacing co-feature in 1:50.4. The rest of the field got the message early, allowing Virgo to put up easy fractions of :27.2, :56.4, and 1:24.3, then could not make up sufficient ground in the supersonic last quarter (over “sloppy” going, remember). Darren Taneyhill trains the winner of two straight, now with a career bankroll of $557,162, for owners Mark Jakubik and Jason Darling.
If the Sweet Lou gelding Lou Grant is approaching anything near his maximum mile, he certainly has given no local evidence of that fact, as he won for the third time in as many Pocono starts, stopping the timer in 1:50.4 while coming home himself in :26.3. Simon Allard sent favored Lou Grant to an early advantage, forced second choice Borninlockdown GB to race outside past a :26.4 quarter to get the lead, and then sat under a stout hold through relatively-mind middle splits of :55.4 and 1:24. The leader was still going along well, and Jabbar mounted an uncovered challenge, but Allard never showed anxiousness as he waited then steered the winner to the Pocono Pike and gained swiftly to down Jabbar by a neck (and allowed Allard to go his last quarters in sub -:53 combined in the two co-features). Eric Mollor trains the very promising pacer for Jack Piatt III and Howard Alexander.
Tyler Buter had four winners on the Saturday card. His production rate at Pocono is staying as hot as it was in May – in the former month he had 51 wins, and through June 14 he’s crossed the wire first 26 times at the mountain oval. Simon Allard won the last race along with the two subfeatures to be next in line in the day’s driving derby.
Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series action will highlight the Sunday card at Pocono, which begins at 6 p.m. First round Sire Stakes winners Hangover and Payback Moni have drawn into separate divisions of this second prelim action. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Over an oval rated “sloppy” for the Saturday feature races at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Spring Inhis Step A again lived up to his name, taking the $25,000 pace for fast-class horses in 1:49.3.
Another winning favorite on a big day for the chalk, Spring Inhis Step was pushed to a :26.4 quarter before clearing to the leader for driver Brett Beckwith, who then went right along with the winner of $384,946, putting up midfractions of :55.1 and 1:22.3. Spring Inhis Step A stayed in control through the lane, getting one reminder from Beckwith to keep his mind to business, and the veteran responded sharply for trainer Jeff Cullipher and owner Pollack Racing LLC.
The Always A Virgin gelding Virgo, possessor of great early speed, took quick control from the pole forcing his opposition in behind him, set the pace as he pleased, then left everyone behind with a :26.1 kicker to take the $16,500 fast-class pacing co-feature in 1:50.4. The rest of the field got the message early, allowing Virgo to put up easy fractions of :27.2, :56.4, and 1:24.3, then could not make up sufficient ground in the supersonic last quarter (over “sloppy” going, remember). Darren Taneyhill trains the winner of two straight, now with a career bankroll of $557,162, for owners Mark Jakubik and Jason Darling.
If the Sweet Lou gelding Lou Grant is approaching anything near his maximum mile, he certainly has given no local evidence of that fact, as he won for the third time in as many Pocono starts, stopping the timer in 1:50.4 while coming home himself in :26.3. Simon Allard sent favored Lou Grant to an early advantage, forced second choice Borninlockdown GB to race outside past a :26.4 quarter to get the lead, and then sat under a stout hold through relatively-mind middle splits of :55.4 and 1:24. The leader was still going along well, and Jabbar mounted an uncovered challenge, but Allard never showed anxiousness as he waited then steered the winner to the Pocono Pike and gained swiftly to down Jabbar by a neck (and allowed Allard to go his last quarters in sub -:53 combined in the two co-features). Eric Mollor trains the very promising pacer for Jack Piatt III and Howard Alexander.
Tyler Buter had four winners on the Saturday card. His production rate at Pocono is staying as hot as it was in May – in the former month he had 51 wins, and through June 14 he’s crossed the wire first 26 times at the mountain oval. Simon Allard won the last race along with the two subfeatures to be next in line in the day’s driving derby.
Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series action will highlight the Sunday card at Pocono, which begins at 6 p.m. First round Sire Stakes winners Hangover and Payback Moni have drawn into separate divisions of this second prelim action. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
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