Next week in this space we'll be reviewing the eliminations for Sun Stakes Saturday, races which will feature some of the very best harness racing horses on the planet. Before we get to that though, we just witnessed another excellent week of racing here at Pocono, featuring Sire Stakes, Stallion Series, and overnight races all conducted under sizzling early summer temperatures. Let's see who really stood out in those races as we hand out our Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: KEYSTONE VELOCITY
This 8-year-old stallion trained by Austin Brubacker had an excellent racing career interrupted in 2015 when he sat out the entire season. But it didn't take long for him to return to top form in 2016, as he burned up the track to win a condition pace on May 28, just his third start back off the layoff, in a career-best 1:48:2. He moved up to the $25,000 condition pacers his next time out but got caught up in a speed duel and ended up last of six.
In Saturday night's $20,000 featured condition pace, Keystone Velocity went off as a 5-1 fourth choice despite the back class. This time around driver Andrew McCarthy wanted no part of the hot fractions laid down by 9-5 favorite Badiou Hanover. Instead the gelding waited to move until the back stretch, following the cover of Nitro Seelster.
In the home stretch, Badiou Hanover started to labor. Meanwhile McCarthy guided Keystone Velocity, trained by Austin Brubacker, three-wide in the stretch for a clear look at the finish line. From there he wasn't about to be held back, as he hustled past Badiou Hanover and held off Starlite Kid by three-quarters of a length to win it in 1:50:2. There appears to be no lingering rust on Keystone Velocity from the year off, and, with wins in two of three against stiff competition, he might just be reaching a career peak.
Other top pacers this week include: Girllookatthatbody (Andrew McCarthy, Todd Buter), who moved up in class to win the featured condition pace for mares on Tuesday night in 1:52:2, her second straight victory; McCedes (George Napolitano Jr., Daniel Maier), an 11-year-old veteran who moved up in class to win a $15,000 claimer Saturday night in 1:52:3, his second straight victory and third in his last four; and Southwind Amazon (George Napolitano Jr., Paul Holzman), whose condition victory on Saturday night in 1:49:3 was the fastest pacing time of the week at Pocono.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: PITTSTOP KIP
Trained by Steve Salerno, this 5-year-old gelding shocked a $20,000 to $25,000 claiming handicap trotting field on June 12 for a victory at 40-1. In that race, driver David Miller kept Pittstop Kip well off the pace, only to rally him and make up a ton of ground on the final turn, eventually winning by a length in a career-best 1:55:3.
Pittstop Kip had a solid #2 post position for the rematch against that claiming handicap group on Sunday night, but it almost cost him. David Miller was once again aboard and he was able to secure a third-in spot behind a hot pace set by 5-2 favorite Prayer Session. But the horse directly in front of Pittstop Kip slowed enough on the back stretch to allow another to squeeze in, leaving Pittstop Kip fourth-in around the final turn and seemingly stymied.
As they rounded the last turn, however, the outer flow dropped away, leaving room for Miller to guide his horse to a clear lane on the outside. Pittstop Kip, reserving energy all that time, exploded through the lane, passing out a stunned Prayer Session to win it by a length-and-a-half. The winning time of 1:53:4 easily bested the career mark he had set just a week previously. And although it wasn't 40-1, the 6-1 odds attached to Pittstop Kip proves that the bettors weren't completely sold. They might be the next time he takes the track.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: Rose Run Parker (Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke), who captured the week's featured $25,000 condition trot on Sunday night in 1:53, which was also the fastest trotting time of the week at Pocono; Mr Lucky Luke (Joe Pavia Jr., Thomas Cancelliere), who moved up the condition ladder to win his second straight race on Tuesday night, this one coming in a career-best 1:56:1; and Rule Of Hall (Corey Callahan, John Butenschoen), who followed up a condition win with an easy Stallion Series victory against other three-year-old fillies on Monday night, posting a career-best time of 1:54:4 in the process.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: TROTTING R T
This gelding, who just missed at 47-1 his previous race, finished the job Monday night, beating a claiming group at 16-1 with Andrew McCarthy in the bike to pay off $35.80 on a $2 win ticket.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: SIMON ALLARD
Simon had an outstanding week, highlighted by a four-win Saturday night that included a sweep of the late Daily Double.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: ANETTE LORENTZON
Lorentzon works magic with the trotters, and she scored a pair of trotting wins with her two starters on Sunday night, including a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes victory with three-year-old filly Ultimate Shopper.
That will do it for this week, but we'll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at jbeviglia@mohegansunpocono.com.
Jim Beviglia