The stars were out in full force at Pocono Downs for a stakes-filled Saturday evening card, and the teletimer took a beating.
Trot Insider has recapped what transpired in the high profile stakes eliminations.
Ben Franklin Eliminations - $25,000
Sweet Lou steamrolled over the foes he faced in a sparkling time of 1:47.4 for driver Ron Pierce and trainer Ron Burke. The five-year-old son of Yankee Cruiser-Sweet Future brushed to the front in the second quarter and after supplying middle fractions of :54 and 1:20.2 he jetted home to win by four lengths over Bolt The Duer. Captive Audience grabbed the show dough.
It was the 26th lifetime win for Sweet Lou, who now boasts a bankroll of $2,281,511. The stakes-winning star is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr and Phillip Collura.
Domethatagain pulled off a 29-1 upset when he snuck up the rail and knocked off heavily-favoured Captaintreacherous in a time of 1:48. Domethatagain chopped out the opening quarter in :26 before Captaintreacherous brushed to the lead and led the field through middle intervals of :53.2 and 1:21. Domethatagain shot through at the pylons in the lane and used a :26.4 closing quarter to win by a nose over Captaintreacherous. Bettors Edge rallied to grab the show dough.
Simon Allard engineered the winning trip for the Rene Allard student who is owned by Allard Racing Inc, Robert Hamather and Bruce Soulsby. The five-year-old son of Bettors Delight-Road Sign, who owns a 4-for-9 record in 2014, pushed his overall cash stash to $426,475 with the win.
Max C. Hempt Memorial Eliminations - $25,000
Mcwicked was a dominant winner in a career-best clocking of 1:48 for the duo of driver David Miller and trainer Casie Coleman. The three-year-old son of Mcardle-Western Sahara watched Bushwacker chop out the first fraction of :26.1 before muscling to the front. Mcwicked was on the hook for middle splits of :53.1 and 1:21 before kicking home in :27 to win by 5-3/4 lengths over Bushwacker. Finishing third was Stevensville.
Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Mcwicked won for the third time this season and for the sixth time in his career. Purchased last season by S S G Stables of North Boston, New York, the colt has earned $332,957 to date.
All Bets Off extended his winning streak to four-in-a-row thanks to his 1:48.3 triumph for the tandem of driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Ron Burke. The three-year-old son of Bettors Delight-Armbro Penelope sat a two-hole trip behind Doo Wop Hanover who threw down sensational fractions of :25.2, :53.1 and 1:20.3. All Bets Off shot up the inside late and used a :27.4 closing panel to win by three-quarters of a length over Cammikey, with Sometimes Said taking home third prize.
The nine-time winner, who is 5-for-6 this year, is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, The Panhellenic Stb Corp and Rosemary Shelswell. The sophomore is closing in on $400,000 in lifetime earnings.
At Press Time was treated to a perfect trip and the Ron Burke pupil wasn’t about to let it go to waste. Matt Kakaley mapped out a two-hole ride behind Limelight Beach who took the field through fractions of :25.4, :54.2 and 1:21. At Press Time popped off the rail and fired home in :27.1 to secure the win by three-quarters of a length over Limelight Beach in 1:48.2. Allstar Partner was fourth-placed third after Always B Miki, who finished third, was placed to fifth for causing interference to another foe in the late stages of the mile.
Sent off at odds of 8-1, At Press Time won for the fifth time in eight starts this season for Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. The first-time Lasix user pushed his cash stash to $135,683 with the win.
James M. Lynch Memorial Eliminations - $20,000
Cinamony didn’t let a first-over trip stand between her and the winner’s circle. Corey Callahan had the Alexander Rice, Jr. trainee on the rim and pressing race favourite and recent Fan Hanover Stakes champ, Uffizi Hanover, through middle fractions of :54.4 and 1:23. Cinamony sprinted home in :27.3 to win by 2-1/4 lengths over Uffizi Hanover, while Also Encouraging rallied late to finish third.
The three-year-old daughter of Art Official-Armbro Cinnamon is now 3-for-9 this year for owners Michael Horn of Dover and Alexander Rice, Sr. of Townsend, Delaware. The six-time winner has banked $109,483 to date.
Weeper turned a two-hole trip into a career-best clocking of 1:49 for driver Dave Palone and trainer Kelly O’Donnell. The daughter of Allamerican Native-Pleasant Yet Bad tracked Gallie Bythe Beach through intervals of :26.1, :54 and 1:21 before using a :27.4 closing quarter to foil that foe by a half-length margin. Sayitall BB rounded out the top three finishers.
Bay Pond Racing Stable of Paoli, Pennsylvania owns the fleet-footed filly, who now owns a 4-2-0 record from six trips to the track this season. The nine-time winner boasts career earnings of $189,261.
Fancy Desire was parked past the opening quarter in :26.1, but she worked her way to the lead and led the field through middle fractions of :54.2 and 1:21.2 before using a :27.3 kicker to win by 4-1/2 lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:49. George Napolitano, Jr. mapped out the winning trip for the speedy lass who was followed under the line by My Lady Day and Southwind Silence.
Kevin Carr trains the three-year-old daughter of Real Desire-Fancy Creek Memory for Robert Di Nozzi of Ossining, New York. The victory was her third of the season and the sixth of her career. Her share of the $20,000 purse lifted her lifetime earnings to $110,643.
Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial Eliminations - $25,000
Father Patrick tucked into the three-hole in the early stages of his assignment before marching to the front in the second quarter for driver Yannick Gingras. Once the colt cleared, it was game over for the others. The Jimmy Takter pupil strolled through middle panels of :57 and 1:25.2 before turning on the afterburners and roaring home in :27.2 for the 1:52.4 score. It was 2-1/4 lengths back to runner-up Harper Blue Chip, with third prize earned by Sumatra.
Sent off as the 1-9 choice, Father Patrick is now 4-for-4 this season after going 10-for-11 in last year’s freshman season. Father Patrick Stable of East Windsor, New Jersey owns the winner of $854,826.
Nuncio was a popular winner in the first elimination for John Campbell, who guided the Jimmy Takter trainee to a come-from-behind score in an impressive clocking of 1:52.2. It was a career-best performance for the sophomore who hauled down Datsyuk, who sliced out splits of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:25, in the final strides. Don Dorado took home the show dough in the seven-horse affair.
Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, the son of Andover Hall-Nicole Isabelle is now 4-for-4 to start the season after going 5-5-0 during a 10-start rookie campaign. Stall TZ Inc of Vero Beach, Florida owns the photogenic square gaiter who has banked more than $580,000 to date.