Freehold, NJ — Harness racing trainer Kelvin Harrison knows Lynch Memorial hopeful Concerto is stepping up in class, but he thinks it could be a stepping stone.
Unraced at age 2, Concerto has won four of eight races this season as she prepares for Saturday’s eliminations of the James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. All of Concerto’s victories have come in conditioned races, but the filly held her own in one start in state-restricted stakes action and has Harrison looking forward to her future.
“It’s just an experience thing with her,” Harrison said. “Each time she races she seems to get a little bit better. I think this is pretty wishful thinking this week going in against these fillies, but eventually I believe she’ll be up to that level.”
Concerto competes in the third of three Lynch eliminations. The six-horse field features the top two finishers from last week’s Fan Hanover Stakes — nose winner Bettor’s Up and runner-up Agent Q, with Agent Q getting the 2-1 nod in morning line favoritism over 5-2 Bettor’s Up. Concerto is 10-1.
The first elimination is led by Lismore Pace winner Tequila Monday (2-1) and returning Dan Patch Award winner Idyllic Beach (3-1). In the second elimination, multiple stakes winner Roaring To Go (2-1) and Pennsylvania Stallion Series standout Brazuca (5-2) are the top choices.
The top three finishers from each elimination advance to the $300,000 Lynch final July 1 at Pocono.
Saturday’s card at Pocono also includes eliminations of the Ben Franklin for older male pacers, Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old trotters, and Max C. Hempt Memorial for 3-year-old male pacers.
Concerto is a daughter of stallion Bettor's Delight out of the Badlands Hanover mare Born Storyteller. The filly is owned by breeder Ron Mario, who also bred and raced Born Storyteller.
Born Storyteller won an elimination of the Lynch in 2005 and finished fourth in the final. A year later, she finished second to Burning Point in the Breeders Crown Mare Pace. Concerto’s half-sister Beach Story was third in the 2014 Jugette.
Concerto suffered from soreness as a 2-year-old and was turned out. She made her debut in March with a 10th-place finish at the Meadowlands, but since then has finished worse than second only twice. One time was on a sloppy track at Harrah’s Philadelphia, where she went off stride, and the other was a fifth-place finish in a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, where she was beaten by only 1-3/4 lengths.
She has two wins and a second in her most recent three starts.
“We brought her back late last year and got her ready to race,” Harrison said. “She wasn’t the fastest learner; she was a little aggressive. But she’s settled in good.
“When they don’t race at 2 and they have to go against these horses at 3 it’s a little harder for some of them. She raced once in the sire stakes at (Philly) and she was really pretty good and I think she’s improved since then. This is a tall order, but I think she can develop into being this type of filly.”
For a look at all the entries for Saturday at Pocono, click here.
by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications