Pocono: Flight In Motion hopes to soar in Weiss final

Eddie Dennis is only bringing one horse to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday, and despite his 10-1 morning line odds, the trainer is feeling confident. Flight In Motion is one of eight finalists in the $50,000 Bobby Weiss Series for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, race 10 on a 14-race afternoon card that starts at 1:00 p.m. (EDT).

To put things into perspective, Dennis compared Flight In Motion to one of his former students, the $1.5 million earner Hellabalou, who won the Adios Pace in 2021 for him before eventually moving on to other trainers.

"The last time we spoke was about Hellabalou and he turned into a nice horse. I think this horse could be on that road, too. The only difference between him and Hellabalou is that he had a lot more gate speed than this one, but I think he'll get better at it down the road," said Dennis, who currently trains 14 horses.

Flight In Motion is one of five horses in the Weiss with two wins through the three legs of the series. His first start in the spring series and on Lasix was a 1:52 score, the second-fastest time in the Weiss behind World Of Wishes.

"In the last start at Dover [March 18] I decided to scope him to make sure he was clean and healthy. He ended up bleeding on me, so I put him on Lasix and it sure hasn't hurt, that's for sure," said Dennis, who talked about the horse's progression to date. "I don't think he's reached his potential, and he's still a little bit green in a sense. Once he puts it all together, I think he can pace [1:]49 and a piece or 1:50, I really do. He's never really shown enough gate speed yet, which is why I say he's a little green. He doesn't know how to burst off the gate in 27 to secure position."

World Of Wishes led at every call in the third leg of the Weiss, only to lose to Flight In Motion by a neck over a sloppy track. On that occasion World Of Wishes started from post one, but he's stuck in the dreaded eight-hole with regular driver Patrick Ryder for Saturday's final while Flight In Motion starts from post four with Ridge Warren taking over the lines for Tyler Buter, who chose Captain Conan (post two).

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Dennis will be hoping for plenty of early speed from all parts of the gate to set up Flight Of Motion's late kick, and he just may get it since World Of Wishes has left hard each week, and the horse to his inside, Gold Glove Hanover, another two-leg winner, picks up Hall of Famer David Miller in the bike. Oogleville (post three) is another horse that owns two wins in the series and plenty of early speed. He'll be driven by Jason Bartlett, who leads the nation in both wins and earnings in 2025.

"Usually in these finals they kind of mix it up," said Dennis. "You have horses that have speed, and my horse likes to finish. It could play into my hands."

Regardless of how the Weiss unfolds, Dennis expects Flight In Motion to head to the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes next and hopefully improve to the point where he can be competitive in Grand Circuit races like the Adios and Max Hempt.

"I liked him last year but he wasn't eligible to much. He's got some ability. He might disappoint me, but I think he has some raw speed he hasn't shown us yet," said Dennis.

The Saturday Pocono card also offers four $20,000 divisions of the Weiss for 3-year-old fillies on the pace and a consolation for the boys. The $50,000 main event has an estimated post time of 3:45 p.m.