WILKES-BARRE PA – There were no repeat winners in the second preliminary leg of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for three-year-old trotting colts Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but three “new shooters” thrust themselves into the upper reaches of the harness racing divisional rankings with impressive successes.
Dover Dan, a son of Andover Hall out of the immortal C R Kay Suzie (whose world record for baby trotting fillies on a half-miler stood up for twenty full years before Wild Honey broke it in 2014), showed some of the potency in his veins by swinging wide on the final turn and then drawing off through the lane to a 2½-length victory over favored Moonshiner Hanover in 1:52.4, which also gave the John Butenschoen trainee a new lifetime mark. Corey Callahan did the driving for owners William Wiswell, Jean Goehlen, and Eugene Schick.
Dover Dan
Callahan/Butenschoen accounted for another Sires winner, also timed in 1:52.4 for a personal record, although calling him “a new shooter” is admittedly a stretch. But the Yankee Glide ridgling Giveitgasandgo, the 2016 divisional Sire Stakes champ, had only two seconds in as many seasonal starts coming up to the race, but he showed himself on the improve, stepping home in 55.2 to hold off pocketsitting favorite President Lindy by 1 1/4 lengths, boosting his career earnings over $300,000 for the partnership of Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc., David Miller, Lawrence Means, and VIP Internet Stable LLC.
Giveitgasandgo
Rubio, a Cantab Hall colt, was prepared excellently for his seasonal debut by trainer Jimmy Takter, and then the Hall of Famer finished the job off by guiding Rubio as he went first-over the last 3/8 yet still grinded down pacesetter Muscles Jared by a length, taking a new mark of 1:53.1 while trotting his own back half in 55.2. Heavy favorite Sortie, a Sire Stakes and Currier and Ives winner in his only seasonal starts, made a break moving to the lead in front of the stands, but Rubio, third as the favorite in the Peter Haughton last year, would have been a tough foe to contend with in any event as he circled the first Saturday in August by winning for owner Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, and Brixton Medical Inc.
Rubio
In a $25,000 winners-over pace, 1-5 favorite Blood Brother watched as Dream Out Loud N put Betting Exchange behind him early, moved at the 26.3 quarter to the lead, posted middle splits of 55.1 and 1:23, then held off a foe to each side nearing the wire for a 1:50.1 victory The Somebeachsomewhere gelding, who now has earnings of $162,250 this year and $610,413 lifetime for owners D’Elegance Stable IX, Charles Iannacone, T L P Stables and P T Stable, was the fourth winner of the evening at The Downs for driver Jason Bartlett, the leading moneywinner among sulkysmiths in North America, and trainer Richard Banca, who enjoyed his second successful pairing with Bartlett on the night. Dream Out Loud N narrowed in late but was a neck behind at the winner, while Betting Exchange took the inner route for third, a further half-length back.
PHHA / Pocono