Pocono: Hungry Marco quickest in Pennsylvania All-Stars for rookie male pacers

Two-year-old pacing colts and geldings made their first stakes appearances Monday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, contesting three $30,000 divisions of their Pennsylvania All-Stars event.

Hungry Marco, a Stay Hungry-Always Giggling colt and thus a three-quarter brother to the multiple stakes winner Gigglingonthebeach, came from Philly to the mountain oval with three successful trips behind the starting gate, a winning qualifier on either side of an overnight triumph, and added a stakes victory to his burgeoning resume in 1:54, the fastest All-Star division.

Hungry Marco was sent to the lead by driver Ridge Warren, set moderate fractions of 28 3/5, 58 1/5 and 1:27, then hustled home in 27 seconds to finish out the quickest win in his young career, a half-length ahead of closer Celtic Wine to his right, with pocket-sitter Loud Luxury just another neck behind to his left. Jamie Sullivan conditions the talented colt for the triumvirate of David Hamm, Glenn Phillips, and Frank Chick.

The Sweet Lou-Captiva Island colt Gobstopper became the only successful stakes-winning favorite on Monday when he defeated Hard Four in 1:54 1/5 for his first winning mile. Gobstopper tailed Hard Four, who came uncovered after early splits of 28 3/5 and 58 2/5 before getting a short lead by the 1:26 4/5 three quarters; the winner then paced his individual last quarter in 27 1/5 to catch the game Hard Four by a head. Anthony Napolitano was in the sulky for trainer Michael Deters and owner Rick Berks.

Dapper Station, a double qualifier winner before a good second in his betting bow, made the lead before the 28 3/5 quarter in his section, then pushed favored Midwind Buxton before yielding for the two-hole during middle fractions of 58 1/5 and 1:27 1/5. Dapper Station vacated the golden chair and put in his own last split of 27 1/5 to complete a 1:54 3/5 mile (the track was still rated "good" before being rerated to "fast" for the other All-Stars cuts) - a neck to the good of the chalk while rewriting his own lifetime-best. The Captain Crunch-Dandy's Sweetness gelding was driven by Tyler Buter for trainer Hunter Oakes and the ownership of H O Racing Inc., Louis Peachey, and Tribbett Racing.

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The overnight feature was a $20,000 fast-class trot, taken by Celebrity Bambino in 1:52 2/5 (fast track), his second straight triumph after some behavioral troubles. Here, Celebrity Bambino made two moves, then withstood late-flyer Super Duper Cooper by a half-length for the familiar pairing of driver Tyler Buter and trainer Ron Burke, both leading their standings at this meet, and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC., J&T Silva Stables LLC., Knox Services Inc., and Phil Collura.

An intriguing and popular exhibition race was arranged by trainer Brandy Wine and driver Braxten Boyd, who are expecting a child – a "match race" between "Momma's Boy" and "Daddy's Girl," outfitted in blue and pink respectively, with the winner announcing to the world whether the baby was to be a boy or a girl! "Momma's Boy" hit the wire first, with many members of the happy families, friends and members of the Pocono community joining the expectant parents in the winner's circle after the novel event.

Tyler Buter brought home five winners on the card to further extend his driving lead, with George Napolitano Jr. winning four times (#8 in the all-time sulky standings, George is now three victories shy of the 13,000 milestone) and Ridge Warren reporting home first three times (not counting his "success" behind "Momma's Boy"). Enrico Robinson had the only training double, both driven by "George Nap."

The 1 p.m. (EDT) card on Tuesday at Pocono brings an end to this racing week.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--