The Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series circuit makes its local 2021 debut during the Sunday (May 16) card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono – and they’ve saved the best for first, as the “glamour division” three-year-old pacing colts kick off state-bred action at the mountain track with three divisions of Sire Stakes and seven divisions of Stallion Series action.
Last year's Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year Perfect Sting makes his seasonal bow in the ninth-race Sire Stakes division after posting wins in all 10 of his freshman starts. The fast-pedigreed colt (by 1:46 pacer Always B Miki out of the 1:47 mare Shebestingin) has put in qualifiers of 1:52.2 and 1:52.3 for trainer Joe Holloway in preparation for this contest, and David Miller will be driving the colt from post 5 in the field of seven.
Perfect Sting was the top-rated colt in the 2021 TROT Magazine Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book at odds of 3-1.
Drawing the outside starting slot in this field is the Somebeachsomewhere colt Summa Cum Laude, who dead-heated for the win with Perfect Sting in last season’s Breeders Crown final. Trainer Ron Burke has selected Dexter Dunn to handle Summa Cum Laude on Sunday.
Southwind Gendry, a gelded son of Always B Miki who was beaten just a head in that Breeders Crown final and who won the faster division (1:49.4) of the first Sire Stakes prelim at The Meadows, is the early favourite in the 10th-race division. The Burke trainee will team with Yannick Gingras here. Sure to also draw attention is the $800,000 yearling One Eight Hundred, a Somebeachsomewhere colt who tied for fastest win in Pennsylvania All-Stars action here last weekend with a 1:50.1 win. He has drawn the pylon post for trainer Nancy Takter and driver Tim Tetrick.
The other 1:50.1 All-Stars winner was Gamblin Mo (post 4, trainer John Butenschoen, driver Tyler Buter), and the other Sire Stakes winner Literl Lad Hanover (1:51.1, post 3, trainer Burke, driver David Miller) compete in the same division. But neither of these horses is favoured in the eighth-race Sires cut. That honour goes to Exploit, second in the Governor’s Cup last year and third in his seasonal debut at The Meadowlands with closing fractions of :53.1 / :26.1. Exploit begins from post 5 for trainer Tony Alagna and driver Joe Bongiorno.
The Stallion Series races will not lack for competitiveness or speed. The five Stallion Series divisions at The Meadows averaged 1:51.2, and four of the winners — plus 1:50.2 All-Stars winner Emblaze Hanover — are among the entrants.
The first of 14 races on Sunday is set to go postward at 5 p.m. (EDT). Program pages will be available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Pocono)