Pocono: Joviality S matches track record in Delmonica Hanover rout

Joviality S, the runner-up in the Hambletonian earlier this month, returned to facing just 3-year-old filly trotters in Saturday's $250,000 Delmonica Hanover at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and rolled to a 1:51 3/5 track record-equaling victory.

Driven by Brian Sears, Joviality S settled in second behind a fast-leaving Pink Coco Chanel (Joe Bongiorno) at the 26 3/5 opening quarter, and Joviality S's pocket position would then become a three-hole as Jiggy Jog S (Dexter Dunn), who was also coming out of the Hambletonian, drove on two-wide and took charge coming to the 55 1/5 half.

Sears would put Joviality S in motion first-over as they raced in the backstretch for the final time, and then he was able to slide down into the two-hole before the 1:23 three-quarters as Pink Coco Chanel tired and backed up. Joviality S didn't stay on the cones for long, though, as Sears sent her to the outside again on the last turn, and she would blow by Jiggy Jog S midway through the bend.

Once she stuck the front, Joviality S pulled away and would score by 4 1/2 lengths. Delilah Hanover (Todd McCarthy) tracked Joviality S's cover loosely and wound up turning that into a second-place finish at 40-1, and Manon (Tim Tetrick) grabbed third. Mon Cheval (Andy McCarthy) and Baptism (Ake Svanstedt) rounded out the top five. Jiggy Jog S made a break after Joviality S went by her and plummeted to seventh.

The time of 1:51 3/5 matched the Pocono standard for a sophomore trotting filly set by Check Me Out in the 2012 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship.

"She makes it easy to go to work every night. She's a great filly. We got a little unlucky in the Hambletonian, but I'm glad she was able to get it done today," said Sears. "She's just so handy. She can leave the gate in 26, and you can take her off the gate if you like. She gets over the ground so easily, and I think she hardly wears a boot. She's just great-gaited.

"I was just hoping to get Joe a spot and not get my filly wadded up a little bit. I didn't want to move on Dex because I knew they were rolling pretty good and he'd probably stretch me a little bit. I just kinda bided my time as long as I could."

Marcus Melander trains Joviality S, a daughter of Chapter Seven bred by AM Bloodstock Inc., for owner Courant Inc. Joviality S has compiled a record of 16-3-1 from 21 career starts, has now earned $1,616,818, and paid $3.20 to win as the 3-5 choice.

"Fashion Schooner wasn't in this race, and maybe we missed someone else, but she raced against the colts and was second there," remarked Melander. "I think she's shown all along that she's the best filly out there, and she really proved it today, too.

"She's going in the New York Sire Stakes in two weeks at Tioga and then the final in New York after that [also at Tioga]."

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$125,000 Delmonica Hanover Consolation I

Trainer Jim Campbell finished first and second in this race with Misswalner Fashion (Tetrick) and Design Fashion (T. McCarthy).

Leaving from post six, Misswalner Fashion pressed on two-wide and grabbed the top spot away from Ebbies Lady (Svanstedt) past the 27 1/5 opening quarter and maintained command to a 55 4/5 half and a 1:24 3/5 three-quarters. Design Fashion, who went first-over from fifth past the half, made her way into second late on the far turn, but she just couldn't get by Misswalner Fashion through the stretch drive, with that one scoring by a length in 1:53 4/5. Ebbies Lady got third.

Owner Jules Siegel's Fashion Farms bred Misswalner Fashion, a daughter of Walner. She made her seventh appearance in the winner's circle, boosted her bankroll to $379,469, and returned $2.80 to win as the 2-5 choice.