Pocono: Allywag Hanover ties world record in Always B Miki Invitational

Allywag Hanover equaled the world record of 1:47 2/5 for a 4-year-old gelding pacer on a five-eighths-mile oval and capped off a big day at the office for driver Todd McCarthy by winning Saturday afternoon's $75,000 Always B Miki Invitational at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Starting from post seven, Allywag Hanover launched to the lead and ripped off a 25 3/5 opening quarter. He then slowed down the tempo to 54 3/5 at the half before picking it back up to deal with a first-over try by Nandolo N (Jason Bartlett).

Nandolo N could only reach Allywag Hanover's wheel in a 26 second third quarter, and that tempo took its toll on Nandolo N, as he began to fade after the 1:20 3/5 three-quarters, leaving Allywag Hanover and pocket-sitter Nicholas Beach (Joe Bongiorno), the 1-5 favorite, to decide it. Nicholas Beach had every chance to go by in the passing lane, but Allywag Hanover just kept going on the engine and reported home a length and a half to the good. Ruthless Hanover (Corey Callahan) advanced from sixth to third in the last quarter.

The clocking matched Always At My Place's standard set on 8-22-15, also taken at Pocono.

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"Full credit to (trainer Brett Pelling). He had Allywag spot on today," said McCarthy, who added this victory to wins in the James M. Lynch Memorial, the Delmonica Hanover, and the Delmonica Hanover consolation. "It's the first time we've cut it with him, but he found a little in the end here, and he drew away nicely. I was very happy with that.

"The first quarter sort of surprised me. It was a little quicker than I thought it was going to be. He was happy at that speed he was at, and I don't like to wrestle them too much when they feel like that. I was happy to go with him, and I knew he could put down a big mile. I was just hoping he'd get around the track here, and the rail was a perfect spot for him, so it worked out good."

The 4-year-old gelding by Captaintreacherous is owned by Allywag Stable and has won three big races in the last five weeks, adding this to tallies in a W.R. Haughton Memorial split and a division of the Sam McKee Memorial, both at the Meadowlands. He is now a 14-time winner in his life, has pocketed $585,438, and paid $11.60 to win as the 9-2 second choice.