Pocono: Father Patrick cruises to Beal elim victory

Father Patrick was one of the marquee attractions on the card at Pocono Downs on Saturday night and he did little to disappoint his backers at 1-9. The Cantab Hall-sired colt destroyed his foes with ease in the second of two $25,000 Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial eliminations for 3-year-old trotters.

After a quarter posted on the board in 27 4/5 by Harper Blue Chip, driver Yannick Gingras quickly brushed Father Patrick to the front. When the half came on the board in a soft 57 seconds, it was all over for those chasing the unbeaten-in-2014 Father Patrick. He cruised past three quarters in 1:25 2/5 and only received a few light taps from Gingras while powering home a two-plus length winner in 1:52 4/5, his fastest clocking of the year.

Harper Blue Chip and Sumatra chased the winner for second and third. Outburst rallied from the back to earn a spot in next Saturday’s $500,000 final.

"He was great. We had at least a second left, probably more," said Gingras about the mile and what Father Patrick had in reserve.

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Father Patrick Stable owns the winner, who is trained by Jimmy Takter.

Despite a first-over journey, Nuncio had little trouble dispatching his rivals in the first split of the Beal. After fractions of 27 2/5 and 56 4/5, driver John Campbell edged Nuncio off the cones to turn up the heat on early leader Datsyuk. Those two hooked up at three quarters in 1:25 with Don Dorado a close third in the pocket.

In the stretch, Nuncio slowly but surely made to the front under a few taps of the whip from Campbell to post the half-length win in 1:52 2/5 over Datsyuk and Don Dorado. Well Built and Amped Up Hanover (fastest fifth-place finisher) also qualified for the final.

The winner, who is also trained by Takter, paid $2.60 and is owned by Stall Tz Inc.