Pocono: Abuckabett Hanover topples Perfect Sting in PA Sire Stakes action

Abuckabett Hanover handed Perfect Sting his first career defeat, holding off the Dan Patch Award winner and co-Breeders Crown champion in a 1:50 performance in the second of three $51,045 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes divisions for sophomore colt and gelding pacers on Sunday evening at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Exploit, the Metro winner a year ago, and One Eight Hundred collected wins in the other splits.

Lou's Pearlman (Yannick Gingras) and Summa Cum Laude (Dexter Dunn), who dead-heated with Perfect Sting in the Breeders Crown, battled for early command in that second PaSS tilt, with Lou's Pearlman forcing Summa Cum Laude to take the pocket before the 27 3/5 opening quarter. Perfect Sting (David Miller) was out and on the move from third at that point, and he took command briefly between calls before being overhauled by Abuckabett Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) well before the 56 1/5 half.

Billy Clyde (Mark MacDonald) was able to put some first-over pressure on Abuckabett Hanover to the 1:23 3/5 three-quarters and on the far turn, but Abuckabett Hanover turned him away, then braced for Perfect Sting, who had clear aim in the passing lane. Perfect Sting did gain once he had space, but his 26 second final kicker wasn't enough, as Abuckabett Hanover paced home in 26 2/5 to score by a head. Red Right Hand (Todd McCarthy) turned a second-over trip into a third-place result.

Tony Alagna trains Abuckabett Hanover, a Betting Line colt, for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Alagna Racing LLC., Jablonsky Held Stable, and Barbera N Wienick Stable. Abuckabett Hanover picked up his sixth win from 14 starts, and he has now earned $196,858. Abuckabett Hanover, who did have an advantage over Perfect Sting in that he had made a pari-mutuel start this year, while Perfect Sting had not, was dispatched by the bettors as the 3-5 favorite and paid $3.40 to win.

Alagna also scored with Exploit (Joe Bongiorno) in the opening section. Exploit landed in fourth and began a first-over move beyond the 56 second half, which was put on the board by Gambling Mo (Tyler Buter). Gamblin Mo was able to fight off Exploit to the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters, around the far turn, and into the lane, but Exploit responded determinedly when asked by Bongiorno in deep stretch and finally wore down Gamblin Mo late in the mile on his way to the decision by a neck in 1:50 3/5. Literl Lad Hanover (D. Miller), who took the group to the 27 1/5 opening quarter before yielding to Gamblin Mo, came in third.

A Somebeachsomewhere colt, Exploit is owned by Leblanc And Kribbs, Joe Sbrocco, In The Gym Partners, and Joseph Barbera. Exploit now has a record of 4-1-2 from 15 appearances, and he has pocketed $417,153. Exploit was the 3-5 choice and returned $3.20 to win.

The final sire stakes clash saw Chase H Hanover (Brian Sears) gun to the point from post five, but One Eight Hundred (Tim Tetrick) vacated the two-hole to take command after that marker. One Eight Hundred was then passed by Southwind Gendry, who reached the half in 56 2/5 and the three-quarters in 1:24 1/5, battling with a first-over Water Sports Teen (Scott Zeron) at the latter station. Southwind Gendry dismissed Water Sports Teen before they came into the lane, but that gave Tetrick a chance to bring One Eight Hundred to the outside for the drive. After he angled out, One Eight Hundred surged by Southwind Gendry en route to winning by three-parts of a length in 1:50 3/5. Rockyroad Hanover (Dexter Dunn), another member of the Alagna Armada, was third from second-over.

One Eight Hundred, another colt by Somebeachsomewhere, is trained by Nancy Takter, who also co-owns the $800,000 yearling buy with Brixton Medical Inc. One Eight Hundred has been victorious in half of his ten efforts, and he pushed his bankroll to $76,821. The 7-5 favorite, One Eight Hundred paid $4.80 to win.