Dontmesswithles and Tennessee Smooth emerged as the winners in the twin $21,622 featured paces for developing horses getting close to the top of the conditioned ladder during the Tuesday afternoon, May 14 card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
Dontmesswithles (pictured above), a Captaintreacherous gelding, had yielded the lead to High Voltage Deo and rode behind that one without catching him late when 'Deo' had posted the fastest time of the year at Pocono, 1:49.3, in their last start. Many thought that the same scenario was about to play out as 'Les' made the early lead and his opponent charged up to challenge, but this time High Voltage Deo made a momentary break just before clearing, and driver Jim Pantaleano urged Dontmesswithles on to keep his rival parked past a :26.4 quarter before ceding command. High Voltage Deo went on to post mid-splits of :55.4 and 1:23 while facing mid-race pressure, and this week’s exertions took their toll on the leader, as Dontmesswithles dashed to the Pocono Pike and got up by three-quarters of a length in a lifetime best 1:50.3. Howard Birney trains the handy and fast winner for Walter Birney Jr.
In the other feature field of six, there were several exchanges of the lead through and past a :27 opener, with Reggie The Fourth, a Weiss Series champion, finally seizing the throttle and putting up fractions of :56.2 and 1:24.1. Tennessee Smooth, a Well Said gelding trained by Brandy Wine for Brett Boyd Racing Inc. and Geoff Howles, was sitting last when pulling outside down the back, and when he caught no cover, he simply powered on raw for driver Braxten Boyd, working to the leader on the far turn and then beating him out by three parts of a length while earning a new mark of 1:52.
Beach Cowgirl, a Captaintreacherous mare, set a world record of 1:50 in winning her Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship at Harrah’s Philly as an undefeated freshman. Last year she was a cut below the very best fillies, but she showed she may be able to handle another go at the swiftest females with an authoritative 1:50.3 win in a $19,863 distaff pace, regaining the lead near the quarter and drawing away by 3-1/4 lengths, with back splits of :54.1 and :27. Ron Burke now trains the winner for Joseph Di Scalia Jr., Zippett Racing Stable and Scarlett Stables LLC.
All three feature-winning drivers recorded a double, as did Marcus Miller, but they had one fewer visit to Victory Lane than George Napolitano Jr. Jacob Hartline had the only training double.
This weekend, Pocono will host many of North America’s premier three-year-old males, with Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action during Saturday afternoon’s card, including last year’s divisional champion Captain Albano and Breeders Crown winner Gem Quality, while Hambletonian-hopeful trotters will meet Sunday evening in three divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event. Free Pocono programs are available at phha.org.
(PHHA / Pocono)