Pocono: Burke doubles, Shnitzledosomethin stuns in Crown elims for sophomore pacing males

Trainer Ron Burke won two of the three Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace eliminations on Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono with Dorsoduro Hanover and This Is The Plan. Shnitzledosomethin, a 39-1 outsider, won the other elimination.

Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley), the Adios champion, brushed from fourth to first around Thinkbig Dreambig (Yannick Gingras) past the 27 1/5 opening quarter in the first elimination. Dorsoduro Hanover kept control through a 55 2/5 half and a 1:22 4/5 three-quarters, then sprinted home in 27 2/5 to win by a length and a quarter in 1:50 1/5. Thinkbig Dreambig came up the passing lane in the stretch and was second, and Springsteen (Simon Allard) rallied from last in the final quarter to get a spot in the final.

"Brian showed a lot of speed from the seven-hole, and Yannick was moving back," remarked Kakaley. "I just didn't want to be first-up tonight. I've had him first-up his last couple starts, so I just wanted to control things my own way and he was really good. When they get to his bridle he usually digs in and fights. When Yannick shot the passing lane he hit another gear.

"He's been a lot of fun this summer. There's been a couple close calls in the Jug and the Meadowlands Pace, but he gave me some good thrills too. Hopefully we can end it on a good note this year."

A gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere, Dorsoduro Hanover is trained by Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Silva, Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi LLC., and Wingfield Five LLC. This was Dorsoduro Hanover's 11th career victory, and he has now earned $991,8566. The 6-5 favorite, he paid $4.60 to win.

In the next elimination This Is The Plan (Gingras) had the front through stations of 26 4/5, 55 4/5, and 1:23 1/5. Courtly Choice (David Miller) advanced up first-over to challenge This Is The Plan at three-quarters, but he was rebuffed and then retreated as This Is The Plan opened up to win by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:51. I'm A Big Deal (Brett Miller) finished second from the pocket at 31-1, and American History (Andrew McCarthy) was third from second-over. Courtly Choice faded to sixth and didn't advance.

This Is The Plan, another Somebeachsomewhere gelding, was making his second start for Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Silva Purnel And Libby, and Larry Karr since a private purchase after he was fifth in the Little Brown Jug final. This Is The Plan made his fifth appearance in the winner's circle, and he has now banked $377,172. An 8-1 shot, This Is The Plan returned $18.80 to win.

The final elimination was wild and woolly from the word "go," and it resulted in a 1:51 1/5 win for Indiana-bred Shnitzledosomethin (David Miller).

It was a three-wide scramble for early control among Stay Hungry (Doug McNair), Hayden Hanover (Andy Miller), and supplemental entrant Lather Up (Montrell Teague). Lather Up made a brief break on the first turn, leaving the other two to battle to the 26 3/5 opening quarter. Hayden Hanover got control past that marker and went on to the half in 55 2/5, but Shnitzledosomethin was out and moving first-up at that point.

Shnitzledosomethin was urged around Hayden Hanover before the 1:22 3/5 three-quarters, and that put Stay Hungry in big trouble as Hayden Hanover began to retreat and Stay Hungry couldn't get to the outside as Done Well (Tim Tetrick) was first-up and Lather Up was second-over.

Around the final turn Shnitzledosomethin kept control as Done Well sputtered, holding up the closers, and Shnitzledosomethin kept control through the lane as well, winning by three-parts of a length over Grand Teton (McCarthy), who came on from third-over. Lather Up overcame the early skip to get third, and Stay Hungry was eliminated after a fourth-place finish.

Dylan Davis trains Shnitzledosomethin, a Fred And Ginger colt, for the ownership group of Bfj Stable, Thomas Lazzaro, Edwin Gold, and Abraham Basen. The runner-up in last year's Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace, Shnitzledosomethin now has nine lifetime victories, and he has stashed away $536,087. He paid $81.00 to win.

Here is how the field will line up for next Saturday night's final:

1-Dorsoduro Hanover
2-This Is The Plan
3-Springsteen
4-Thinkbig Dreambig
5-Shnitzledosomethin
6-American History
7-Grand Teton
8-Lather Up
9-I'm A Big Deal