Breeders Crown: Pandolfo selections and analysis

Saturday, October 27, will be the third time that The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono has hosted the Breeders Crown. I went to the first two and I thought that the track did a great job. It’s a casino track, so there are good restaurants, ample parking – including valet – and very good outdoor seating. It’s a very nice track.

As of this writing, the advanced weather report calls for temperatures in the mid forties with periods of rain during and prior to the start of the card.

Pocono Downs is far and away the fastest five-eighths-of-a-mile track in North America. Like the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky, Pocono uses indigent red material in its track surface. Horsemen tend to rave about the track and it plays fast. However, when it rains, the red stuff can get pretty gooey and deeper than most harness tracks. The combination of rain and the anticipated cool temperatures should slow down the final times, so I don’t expect to see any speed records.

Last Saturday, the track was sloppy and the temperature was also in the mid-forties. The track seemed to favor front-end speed, but that was an elimination race night. Most of the elimination races weren’t raced that hard, which is probably why the speed held up well. On Saturday night, the big money is on the line and you’ll see a completely different kind of racing, with fast paces and a lot more action. It’s a great card and the horses and drivers should put on a good show.

One thing I like about the card, besides the top-notch fields, is that several drivers that we don’t get too see that often around these parts are here, including several top Canadian drivers. Also, George Napolitano, Jr., the track’s perennial leading driver, has some drives, which is good to see, because he’s a superstar harness driver.

Here are my picks for the entire 14 race card with comments on the Breeders Crown races.

Race 1: 7 Jimmy Freight; 5 Ideal Feeling; 9 Stay Hungry; 8 Hitman Hill

Race 2: 3 Eunice; 8 Zephyr Kronos; 1 Gemologist; 6 Whats The Word

Race 3: BC 2YO Filly Pace

4 Warrawee Ubeaut
3 Tall Drink Hanover
7 Zero Tolerance
5 Queen Of The Pride

WARRAWEE UBEAUT was shaken off by TALL DRINK HANOVER last week but I thought that her trip did her in. She had to leave and tuck, then was used hard in the third quarter. I think she can bounce back from that. This is a good race, though, with four closely matched 2-year-old fillies.

Race 4: BC 2YO Colt & Gelding Trot

5 Gimpanzee
8 Green Manalishi S
6 Super Schissel
2 Chin Chin Hall

GIMPANZEE is undefeated in eight starts and this colt looks tough to beat here. I like GREEN MANALISHI S, but he has to try to work out a trip. Post 8 is winning at 7.8% at Pocono this year, so it is a disadvantage compared to posts 1 through 7.

Race 5: BC 2YO Filly Trot

2 Woodside Charm
1 When Dovescry
8 The Ice Dutchess

WOODSIDE CHARM has been winning by big margins for Verlin Yoder, who trains, drives, owns, and bred this talented filly. Yoder is good at everything that has to do with trotters, whether it’s training, driving, or picking out horses to buy. He’s the real deal. There are some promising fillies in here but I would have a tough time going against Woodside Charm.

Race 6: BC 3YO Filly Pace

9 Kissin In The Sand
5 Youaremycandygirl
2 Alexa’s Power
7 Baron Remy

KISSIN IN THE SAND draws the toughest post (9), which is winning at 4.5%. That means it’s almost three times harder to win from post 9 than from the inside posts. But Kissin In The Sand is a great competitor so I’m going to stick with her. YOUAREMYCANDYGIRL is tough and draws nicely in post 5. There are certainly fillies in here that could upset if Kissin In the Sand and Youaremycandygirl get into a speed duel.

Race 7: BC 3YO Colt & Gelding Trot

5 Six Pack
4 Tactical Landing
7 Crystal Fashion
3 Fiftydallarbill

I’ve felt that SIX PACK was the classiest of this group all year and I’m sticking with him.

Race 8: BC 2YO Colt & Gelding Pace

2 No Mas Amor
5 Captain Trevor
1 Proof
6 Air Force Hanover

NO MAS AMOR took a while to find himself but came through with a sub 1:50 mile at Lexington two back, then in his last start, the first for new trainer Linda Toscano, he proved that the Red Mile win was no fluke with a sharp closing win over this track in the eliminations. I like an improving 2-year-old coming into the Final. CAPTAIN TREVOR has won 6 of 8 starts and was game coming back on to win his elimination after being used leaving in 26 4/5. PROOF is a strong closer in good hands. AIR FORCE HANOVER has been racing well and will probably leave here.

Race 9: BC OPEN Trot

6 Cruzado Dela Noche
9 Marion Marauder
3 Guardian Angel As
7 Warrawee Roo

CRUZADO DELA NOCHE won the International Trot at Yonkers and came back with a solid effort over this track last week. MARION MARAUDER can take a lot of air and will keep trotting if he shows up with one of his best efforts. GUARDIAN ANGEL AS has been showing good speed. WARRAWEE ROO needs some pace up front to close into.

Race 10: BC Mare Pace

3 Call Me Queen Be
2 Shartin
5 Pure Country
9 Caviart Ally

CALL ME QUEEN BE had one subpar effort four stars back but seems to have woken up when driven more aggressively. She was strong over the track in last. SHARTIN is the favorite and she’s always tough to beat. She has 17 wins in 22 starts this year and can grind first over or brush to the lead.

Race 11: BC 3YO Filly Trot

1 Plunge Blue Chip
3 Atlanta
8 Manchego
7 Phaetosive

The 3yo filly trotting division is incredibly strong this year and all four of my listed contenders are capable of trotting a record-caliber mile. PLUNGE BLUE CHIP has been a favorite of mine throughout her career because she’s not only fast, but she can overcome a tough trip. ATLANTA seemed to feel the effect of the two-heat win in the Hambletonian, but in her last three starts she bounced back and has to be considered the one to catch. MANCHEGO is a long-legged champion who has gone some big miles. PHAETOSIVE doesn’t have the early quickness of the other three big names here but this filly always tries hard and finishes strong.

Race 12: BC 3YO Colt & Gelding Pace

8 Lather Up
1 Dorsoduro Hanover
3 Springsteen
6 American History

LATHER UP gets post 8 but I like the way he battled back after a difficult trip over the track last week, and that was his first start back after a grueling two-heat try in the Little Brown Jug. He’s tailor made for this type of track. DORSODURO HANOVER is a fast one and he should be tough to beat from the inside. SPRINGSTEEN finished well against the bias last week. AMERICAN HISTORY is another one that may be charging late.

Race 13: BC Mare Trot

8 Ariana G
5 Emoticon Hanover
1 Broadway Donna
3 NF Happenstance

ARIANA G hasn’t been as consistent this year but none of the big names in this group have. EMOTICON HANOVER and BROADWAY DONNA are both quite capable. NF HAPPENSTANCE has had a remarkable year for an 8-year-old trotter, and truth be told, I’d love to see Jack Parker, Jr. in the winner’s circle after this race.

Race 14: BC Open Pace

3 Mcwicked
2 Lazarus
6 Donttellmeagain
1 Filibuster Hanover

MCWICKED and LAZARUS are all set to go at it again. MCWICKED may end up with a good trip following his classy rival and no one can finish like he can. LAZARUS comes off a sick scratch, which could hurt his chances in a race that figures to unfold at a frenetic pace. DONTTELLMEAGAIN had no shot trying to close off a slow pace in last but finished sharply. He is certainly capable of a big mile. FILIBUSTER HANOVER was part of a blistering pace in last at Lexington and held the show behind the two favorites. He should force the issue from the outset.