Pocono: Grace Hill stays hot by capturing Lynch Memorial

Grace Hill posted her third straight stakes victory and headed a Nifty Norman-trained 1-2 finish in Saturday afternoon's $250,000 James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old pacing fillies at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Driven by Todd McCarthy, who picked up the drive when brother Andrew opted to stay with Hot Mess Express, Grace Hill shot to the point and hit the opening quarter in 26 2/5, but Fire Start Hanover (Dexter Dunn) was already out and on the move from the pocket before that marker.

After taking over the top spot, Fire Start Hanover went to the half in 55 seconds and then was able to rebuff a first-over try by Blue Diamond Eyes (Yannick Gingras) to the 1:22 three-quarters. Hot Mess Express, who had started from post nine, was able to tuck into fourth and then followed Blue Diamond Eyes from second-over, but she couldn't make any headway as Fire Start Hanover and Grace Hill shook away on the last turn.

In the lane Fire Start Hanover tried to dig in, but Grace Hill had space in the passing lane and pace to go with it, rallying past to score by three-parts of a length in 1:49. Thebeachiscalling (Matt Kakaley) turned an inside trip into a third-place finish, with Blue Diamond Eyes fourth and Chase Lounge (George Brennan) advancing from ninth to fifth in the last quarter.

"I was pretty lucky there. Nifty reached out through the week, and I was pretty stoked when I got that one," said a smiling Todd McCarthy. "Nifty, anybody that knows him, he's very casual to drive for. It just worked out today, and I'm very pleased.

"We ended up with a great trip. I kind of wanted to be handy. I had to use her a little early, but she still had plenty of finish. She certainly showed her class today."

A daughter of Always B Miki bred by White Birch Farm, Grace Hill is owned by Tom Hill. She now has a record of 8-4-0 from 18 appearances, has banked $494,355, and returned $7.00 to win as the 5-2 third choice.

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In the Consolation I for the Lynch Memorial, which carried a purse of $125,000, Mackie Hanover (Kakaley) led through opening-half fractions of 26 2/5 and 55 2/5, but Odds On Whitney (Tim Tetrick) attacked first-over out of fifth and was able to power to the point before the 1:22 three-quarters.

Odds On Whitney continued to lead the way into the lane, but she couldn't hold on late, as Nashville Elgenna (Andrew McCarthy), who had been in the pocket behind Mackie Hanover but then shuffled back after Odds On Whitney surged by her, came through the passing lane to win by a length and a quarter in 1:50 2/5. Odds On Whitney had to settle for second, giving trainer Tony Alagna a sweep of the exacta, and Mackie Hanover saved third.

Nashville Elgenna, the Always B Miki first foal out of the great race mare Anndrovette (Riverboat King, 1:48, $3,543,218), is a Crawford Farms homebred. This was Nashville Elgenna's fifth win from 14 career starts, she has now earned $112,000, and she paid $6.00 to win as the 2-1 favorite.