Pocono: Hickfromfrenchlick returns with sharp qualifier

The return of the fast-class pacer Hickfromfrenchlick, plus sharp outings from Casie Coleman-Herlihy 3-year-olds, were the highlights on a Wednesday morning qualifying session at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono conducted over a "sloppy" oval.

Hickfromfrenchlick, a son of So Surreal named after the NBA all-timer Larry Bird, was a good 2-year-old who went on to win over half-a-million dollars at 3, taking his mark of 1:48 4/5 in the Empire Breeders Classic final. He qualified three times at age 4, twice at Goshen and then posting a 1:49 4/5 "Q" win at The Meadowlands, but he had been absent from the racetrack between that outing on June 5 of last year and today, when he went down the road in 1:51 2/5 for trainer/driver Ray Schnittker, also co-owner with Nolamaura Racing LLC and Thomas Spatorico.

Coleman-Herlihy employed Matt Kakaley to drive her successful sophomores. One was Linedrive Hanover, a Betting Line gelding who impressed last year when on July 4 he won a qualifier in 1:53 2/5 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, with back fractions of 53 4/5 - 26 3/5, but he only made one purse start, where he made a break, before being stopped. He won Wednesday in 1:54 4/5, back half 55 4/5, for West Wins Stable, McKinlay & Fielding, J L Benson Stables Inc., and Mac Nichol.

The trainer/driver combo also won with the Captaintreacherous gelding Captainofrocknroll, a 1:53 1/5 winner at 2 who won Wednesday in 1:55 3/5 - 55 4/5 - 27 3/53 for owner Robert Hamather. Coleman-Herlihy also sent out with Kakaley Dean B Hanover, a Betting Line gelding who won in 1:52 1/5 at 2, and who was beaten only 1 1/2 lengths and thus race-timed in 1:52 behind Hickfromfrenchlick.

-edited release (PHHA/Pocono)