Pocono: Two-year-olds strut their stuff in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships

Manchego (filly trot), Pedro Hanover (colt pace), Rainbow Room (filly pace), and Fashionwoodchopper (colt trot) turned in winning performances in the four $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships for 2-year-olds that occurred on Monday evening at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

The final for trotting fillies opened the championship action, and Manchego (Yannick Gingras) would win for the sixth time in six starts, stopping the clock in 1:54 2/5. She circled from third to first on the way to the 58 1/5 half, and after a 1:26 1/5 three-quarters, she scooted home under no urging to win by 4 1/4 lengths over Hey Blondie (Andrew McCarthy). Tiffany's Flash (Tim Tetrick) would finish in the third position.

Manchego, a daughter of Muscle Hill, is owned by Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, and Herb Liverman, and she now has a bankroll of $335,898 to go with her unblemished record. Purchased for $120,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Manchego was bred by Brittany Farms and is the third foal out of the Cantab Hall mare Secret Magic ($198,260). This makes Manchego a half-sister to In Secret (Deweycheatumnhowe, $304,385), and the dam Secret Magic is a half-sister to the likes of millionaire Possess The Magic (Self Possessed). Manchego was the 1-9 favorite and returned $2.20 to win.

Next up were the pacing colts, and Pedro Hanover (McCarthy), who had been raced from off-the-pace in all his starts coming into tonight, changed tactics but was still successful, tallying a 1:51 victory.

Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley) left quickly to get the lead at the 26 2/5 opening quarter, but Pedro Hanover advanced on his outside and grabbed control around the three-eighths mile marker. Pedro Hanover would go on to reach the half in 55 and the three-quarters in 1:22 4/5, keeping a first-over bid by Karpathian Kid (David Miller) at bay. Pedro Hanover kicked away suddenly turning for home, opening a gap on his foes, and although he slowed up a bit late, he remained clear to score by about a length and a half over Hayden Hanover (Andy Miller). Wes Delight (Gingras) was the third-place finisher.

Andrew Harris trains Pedro Hanover, a Somebeachsomewhere colt, for owners Brad Gray and Denise Guerriero. Pedro Hanover, who has won four times from six starts to go with earnings of $229,404, was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. and fetched $80,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale. He is the seventh foal out of the Pro Bono Best mare Paula's Best ($269,860), making him a half-brother to the likes of Pirouette Hanover ($608,759). Pedro Hanover was dispatched at even-money and paid $4.20 to win.

Rainbow Room (D. Miller) continued the good night for favorites in the filly pace as she turned away a stout first-over move from Come See The Show on the far turn to win in 1:52 2/5 as the 4-5 choice.

Miller fired Rainbow Room to the front from post seven, and she clicked off the first quarters in 26 3/5 and the half in 55 4/5. Come See The Show (Tetrick) was first-up out of fourth beforeCurtis SalonickRainbow Room looks ready for Grand Circuit competition the half went on the board, and she advanced well on the backstretch, getting eye-to-eye with Rainbow Room at the 1:23 three-quarters. Come See The Show couldn't sustain her bid on the final bend, though, as Rainbow Room drove back through to regain a clear lead, and in the lane Rainbow Room easily held off a pocket-sitting Scuola Hanover (A. Miller) to win by a pair of lengths. Majorsspeciallady (McCarthy) took third.

The victorious filly by Somebeachsomewhere is trained by Joe Holloway for owners Crawford Farms LLC., Val D'Or Farms, and Ted Gewertz. Rainbow Room, a $100,000 buy from the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, has five victories and one second-place finish in six trips behind the gate, and she has put away $211,199. Bred by Vieux Carre Farms and Steve Jones, Rainbow Room is out of the great Rainbow Blue (Artiscape, $1,428,934), making Rainbow Room a full sister to Somwherovrarainbow ($1,342,848). Rainbow Room returned $3.80 to win.

David Miller also won the championship for trotting colts, but this time in upset fashion as Fashionwoodchopper worked out a second-over trip from post eight and converted it into a 38-1 surprise.

Lawmaker (Anthony MacDonald) was the early leader, reaching the quarteri n 27 3/5, but Scirocco Rob (Corey Callahan) charged first-up out of fourth as they raced in the stretch the first time, and he became the new boss before the 57 4/5 half. Toast Of Lindy (A. Miller) was first-over from fifth before the half was reached, but he advanced in the backstretch and was challenging Scirocco Rob at the 1:27 1/5 three-quarters, with Fashionwoodchopper following the live tow.

Toast Of Lindy wrestled control away in the lane, but Fashionwoodchopper came to his outside and Lawmaker to his inside, and it would be Fashionwoodchopper getting to the wire a length to the good in 1:57. Lawmaker was the runner-up, and Toast Of Lindy finished third.

Fashionwoodchopper is a colt by Donato Hanover trained by Jim Campbell for owner Fashion Farms LLC. Fashionwoodchopper, a $100,000 Standardbred Horse Sale acquisition, won for the second time in five career attempts, and he has now earned $163,118. Bred by Fair Winds Stable, Fashionwoodchopper is out of the Muscles Yankee mare Woodshopper, making him a full brother to Windowshopper ($144,514). Fashionwoodchopper paid $78.20 to win.

Four $50,000 consolations were also staged, with wins going to Closing Statement (colt pace, 1:51 4/5), Follow Streak (filly trot, 1:56 3/5), Alexa's Power (filly pace, 1:53 4/5), and Met's Hall (colt trot, 1:56 1/5).