WILKES-BARRE PA – Part of the $2 million Sun Stakes Saturday supercard at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono were consolation races for the card's major events: the $75,000 Ben Franklin Consolation for free-for-all pacers, the $75,000 Earl Beal Consolation for three-year-old trotting colts, and the $50,000 James Lynch Consolation for three-year-old pacing fillies.
The Western Ideal five-year-old stallion Luck Be Withyou continued his career-long love affair with Pocono Downs, taking the Ben Franklin Consolation in 1:47.4.
Luck Be Withyou, who had an outside post in his Franklin elim and couldn't enter contention, drew the rail for the Consolation and would not cede the lead through amazing fractions of 25.4, 52.4, and 1:19.4, then was kept alive through the stretch by Pocono's leading driver, George Napolitano Jr while also lowering his lifetime best by a tick.
Winner of the 2013 Breeders Crown and the 2015 Franklin Championship here at Pocono Downs, Luck Be Withyou, conditioned by Chris Oakes when on the local scene, has earned the majority of his $1,193,291 career bankroll over the red clay oval for owner John Craig.
Milligan's School, winner of his first two seasonal starts but then offstride in his next two, raised his 2016 record to 3 for 5 with a $21.80 upset in the Beal Memorial. "Team Orange Crush," driver Andy and trainer Julie Miller, had their son of Yankee Glide on best behavior and in top form in the Beal Consolation, coming first-over, then holding off Love Matters, who followed his cover, by ¾ of a length, lowering his speed badge by a tick for the ownership of Stroy Inc.
Call Me Queen Be, forced to go 26 to the quarter in her Lynch elimination and understandably tiring, was very strong coming off a fast pace in the Lynch Consolation, moving to the lead on the far turn past backstretch brusher Sail To The Beach and going on to a two length triumph, equaling her lifetime mark by stopping the timer in 1:50.3. Scott Zeron handled the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, the 3 to 5 choice of the large group of fans gathered for the giant card, for trainer Ross Croghan and the ownership of Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Dana Parham.
From the PHHA Media Department