Pocono: Karinchak perseveres in Weiss Series final for 3YO male trotters

Flanked virtually the entire stretch by strong members of Team Orange Crush, the Chapter Seven colt Karinchak persevered strongly on the lead to win Monday's $50,000 Championship of the Bobby Weiss Trotting Series for sophomore males in 1:53 2/5, equaling the fastest trotting mile of the year at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

Three-time defending Pocono driving champ Matt Kakaley got away third with Karinchak as Te Quiero Lindy (Tyler Miller) used the rail to advantage and grabbed the early lead, with his uncoupled stablemate and favorite Green Mel (Andy Miller) settling in fourth. Kakaley, perhaps sensing that a likely last-half scenario could be going first-over with the chalk on his back, roused his colt before a 27 3/5 quarter, making the lead heading towards the second turn and a 55 4/5 half.

It was Green Mel who was left to first-over duties from that positioning, and he advanced a position to the 1:24 three-quarters, then dropped inside when Te Quiero Lindy vacated the two-hole to get in gear for the homeward battle. With Green Mel threatening inside him and Te Quiero Lindy still a major force outside him, Karinchak dug in for the victory, taking a new mark by half a length over Green Mel, with that one's barnmate another length back in third.

Karinchak was the only Weiss double prelim winner in this section after suffering interference in the first leg and then posting consecutive triumphs before his big win in the final. Ray Schnittker trains the talented 3-year-old, and he also co-owns him with Ted Gewertz, Arden Homestead Stable, and Steven Arnold.

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There were also three $20,000 divisions of the third and final prelim of the Weiss sector for sophomore filly trotters. The only distaff to sweep all three prelims was the Six Pack miss Halfadozen, with driver Dan Dube using a familiar tactic, slowing the half then turning on the afterburners, and here this pattern also worked a treat, as Halfadozen came home in 56 4/5 to win by 8 1/4 lengths in 1:56 3/5. Dube co-owns the Pierre Paradis-trained filly with Jean Claude Dessureault.

While Halfadzoen could name her victory margin, the other two divisions needed the photo-finish camera. The Orange Crush Millers won the fastest Weiss filly division with the Bar Hopping distaff Santa Cristina, who set the pace and withstood favored Admiring, a double Weiss prelim winner, by a nose, earning a new speed badge of 1:54 4/5. Tyler Miller guided the winner for trainer/mother Julie Miller and Willow Oak Racing LLC.

In the other Weiss cut, the Tactical Landing miss R Jezzy (ironically, bred by Andy Miller, but not the one of the orange variety) overcame the overland route to catch favored Gilda Bi by a neck in 1:55 1/5 for trainer John Butenschoen and lessees M and L Delaware / Armitage Farm.

R Jezzy was driven by Tyler Buter, who notched a six-bagger on the card to widen his advantage at the top of the Pocono standings to double digits. Robert Cleary and meet leader Ron Burke each sent out three winners on the program - and Buter drove all three of Cleary's charges, and two of Burke's.

The third and final prelim in the Game Of Claiming Trotting Series, with a $17,000 purse to be offered in each of six divisions for horses base-tagged at $30,000, will highlight the 1 p.m. Tuesday card at Pocono; there will also be carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--