Pocono: Lyons Benjamin clocks swiftest mile in PA All-Stars

Precocious 2-year-old pacing males were on display in four $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event on Monday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, and the four winners all emerged as still unbeaten in purse contests.

The only non-favorite to win, the Captaintreacherous-Square Dancer colt Lyons Benjamin, was hardly a longshot at 7-5, and didn't look like one as he did cut the pace and then came home in 55 1/5 - 26 4/5 to defeat favored Booming Economy by a neck in 1:53 1/5. The Jim King Jr. trainee, driven by Tim Tetrick, is owned by Threelyonsracing, and he also stepped home in 55 1/5 - 26 4/5 to win his purse bow in 1:55 4/5 at Harrah's Philly.

Captaintreacherous earned another siring credit when Ivy Park (dam All Blue) won his purse debut in 1:53 4/5 after surmounting a first-over grind. Yannick Gingras drove the winning colt for trainer Nancy Takter and the ownership of Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, Joe Sbrocco, and Nancy Takter & JAF Racing.

The timer again froze at 1:53 4/5 when Gingras crossed the wire first with another making his purse bow, the Heston Blue Chip-Morenci colt Hugh Heston, who moved to the lead early and won handily for trainer Per Engblom and Morrison Racing Stables.

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Another 1:53 4/5 mile was put in by Rose Run Zeke, a Stay Hungry-Rose Run Ultimate gelding who came to town off two purse wins, including a 1:52 4/5 victory at The Meadows in his previous race. Here, pace-setter War Machine got away to a 1:27 three-quarters, with Rose Run Zeke moving into the far turn to challenge, and "Zeke" just got the better of his game rival by a nose, coming his own last quarter in 26 3/5 for driver Hunter Myers and trainer/owner Mitchell York.

The All-Stars races continue Tuesday at 1 p.m. with action for the 2-year-old trotting filly ranks.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--