Pocono: Beach Glass game, gutsy in Max C. Hempt Memorial

Beach Glass and driver Yannick Gingras made a statement early in the mile and once again in the stretch drive in turning back Adios conqueror Bythemissal and capturing Saturday's $300,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Post positions matter and Beach Glass had the pole, and Gingras used that to perfection as he rolled Beach Glass hard from the start, forcing Layton Hanover from post two to take a seat, but favorite Bythemissal and driver Chris Page refused to settle and pushed the pace hard. Following a 25 2/5 opening quarter Page decided to take the pocket trip behind Beach Glass, and Gingras sensed that and took advantage as he stalled the second quarter to a near walk, hitting the half in 55 1/5 and appearing quite refreshed.

Page got antsy on the backstretch and pulled Bythemissal from the pocket with three-eighths remaining and took the battle to Beach Glass. Those two hit three-quarters nearly as a team in 1:22 with Gingras sitting comfortably in the bike and keeping Beach Glass motivated.

In the homestretch Beach Glass had company on his outside in Bythemissal and along the inside as Layton Hanover tried to use the passing lane for the upset. Beach Glass dug in bravely and just kept going, hitting the wire a half-length to the good in the 1:50 mile. Bythemissal held on to the place spot ahead of Layton Hanover. Fourever Boy finished fourth, with Captain Cowboy earning the final check.

"I didn't know he was traveling that fast," Gingras said of the snappy first quarter posted by Beach Glass. "My horse was tired but showed all kind of guts."

Trained by Brent MacGrath, Beach Glass is owned by Schooner II Stable. As a 5-2 offering Beach Glass paid $7.40 winning for the sixth time in nine starts as a sophomore.

"He was super today," said MacGrath of the victory. "He had a week off and he needed it. He warmed up great today."

The Simcoe at Woodbine Mohawk Park is next on Beach Glass's racing schedule.

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Greatest Ending and driver Mark MacDonald rallied from the pocket to pass pace-setter Early Action and capture the $200,000 Hempt first consolation. Nautical Hanover finished third.

Greatest Ending, also by Somebeachsomewhere, is trained by Dr. Ian Moore for co-breeder/owner Reg Petitpas and paced the mile in 1:50 3/5.

Trainer Ron Burke scored in the $100,000 second consolation with JM's Finaltreasure and Gingras making two moves and holding stablemate Birthday and Jo Pa's Warrior off in the stretch in a 1:52 mile. JM's Finaltreasure, a Sweet Lou gelding bred by White Birch Farm, is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Phil Collura.