Pocono: Manchego stays unblemished by a nose in her Earl Beal Jr. Memorial elim

Manchego ran her career record to 15-for-15, but the result was the closest of her life as she just held safe over a charging Crystal Fashion by a nose in the third and final $25,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial elimination for 3-year-old trotters on Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Racing against males for the initial time, Manchego (Yannick Gingras) drove up on the outside to take control away from Fourth Dimension (Brian Sears) past the 26 4/5 opening quarter. Manchego got to the half in just 56 seconds, and was easily able to fend off a first-up Mississippi Storm (David Miller) to the 1:24 4/5 three-quarters. Crystal Fashion, who had avoided confusion in mid-pack caused by a breaking Alarm Detector past the half, moved up to sit second-over.

When Fourth Dimension broke stride late on the final bend, driver Tim Tetrick elected to go into the pocket and then up the passing lane with Crystal Fashion, and that nearly proved to be the winning move as he closed on Manchego with every stride. Alas, Manchego remained undefeated, finding the wire a nose to the good in a 1:52 4/5 clocking, matching her life's-best. Mississippi Storm, a 60-1 offering, held third and made the final.

Manchego, a Muscle Hill filly, is trained by Jimmy Takter for owners Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, and Herb Liverman. The 1-5 favorite, Manchego paid $2.40 to win, and she ran her own bankroll to $929,688.

Back in the opening elimination, 4-5 favorite Mission Accepted (Ryan Stahl), making his first start outside Ohio, appeared stalled on the outside in fifth past the 57 second half that was posted by Whats The Word (Simon Allard). Mission Accepted got a little more motivated when Lawmaker (Anthony MacDonald) pulled first-up in front of him going to the 1:23 4/5 three-quarters, and then Stahl made a nifty move turning for home as he went from the far outside to the passing lane, with Mission Accepted pouring through on his way to a 1:53 2/5 win. Patent Leather (Tetrick), who cleared to command going to three-quarters, wound up second, with Lawmaker third.

The defending Ohio Sires Stakes champion, Mission Accepted is trained by Jeff Conger, who also co-owns the Manofmanymissions colt with breeder Knox Services Inc. and David Wills. Mission Accepted, who is four-for-four in the win column in 2018, has won eight of his 11 career efforts, and he has now earned $268,300. He returned $3.60 to win.

Also winning an elimination was Six Pack (Ake Svanstedt). Coming off a win in the Empire Breeders Classic final at Vernon, Six Pack posted fractions of 28, 57 3/5, and 1:25 4/5, and he kicked home in 27 4/5 to beat pocket-sitter Evaluate (Tetrick) by three-parts of a length in 1:53 4/5. Fashionwoodchopper (Miller) came in third following a first-up try.

Svanstedt also co-owns Six Pack, a colt by Muscle Mass, with partners Little E LLC., Stall Kalmar Ff and Lars Berg. This was Six Pack's eighth win from 12 career starts, and he has now put away $345,055. He was the 4-5 favorite and paid $3.60 to win.