Pocono: Millies Possesion, The Ice Dutchess share top billing in PA All-Stars

Millies Possesion remained undefeated in five career starts, while The Ice Dutchess set a North American season’s record as the two most impressive winners in four $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for 3-year-old trotting fillies Sunday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

The Possess The Will – Fashion Athena filly Millies Possesion led the field settle past the 28 1/5 quarter, then moved to the lead for driver Dexter Dunn moving towards the 57 2/5 half. Nearing the 1:26 1/5 three-quarters, Millies Possesion let out a notch, and the issue looked never in doubt during the 28 second last quarter, as at the end of the 1:54 1/5 mile she was 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Jezzys Legacy, with Navarone Hanover another length back while winning a photo for third from Beautiful Sin, the $480,000 yearling who had to go uncovered from beyond midpack.

Jim Campbell is the trainer of the developing Millies Possesion, a three-time Sire Stakes winner this year for owner/breeder Fashion Farms LLC.

Earlier, the Muscle Hill – The Ice Queen filly The Ice Dutchess, a $320,000 yearling and a full sister to Ice Attraction, raised her 2019 scorecard to two wins in three starts, overcoming the outside post eight with a 1:53 2/5 win for the divisional season’s mark. Yannick Gingras moved up steadily with the winner of $454,910 past a 28 2/5 quarter to gain the lead before the 57 second half-mile marker, then guided her home in successive 28 1/5 panels to be a runaway 6 3/4 length winner over Swizzle Sticks. Trainer Nancy Johansson’s filly, one of the best in 2018, showed she’s ready for 2019’s best as well for owner Coyote Wynd Farms.

The season’s record broken by The Ice Dutchess had been set 36 minutes earlier when Personal Paradise lowered her mark over five seconds with a victory in 1:53 3/5. The Muscle Hill - Armbro Déjà Vu filly, a half-sister to Dejarmbro and a $265,000 yearling purchase, was sent as far as she could as fast as she could by trainer/driver Åke Svanstedt, putting up scorching numbers of 27 1/5, 55, and 1:23 1/5, with her official lead eight lengths at the stretch call. That lead, though, quickly shrank as Magical Beliefs led the late charge, but Personal Paradise kept trying after the exhausting tempo, retaining a half-length advantage over Magical Beliefs at the wire for the ownership of Melby Gard Inc.

Gingras picked up a second stakes sulky success behind the Muscle Hill - Platinum T filly Asiago in 1:55 3/5. Gingras waited outside early with the double Sire Stakes winner, pressed on past the 28 2/5 quarter to the lead and got a breather to a 58 3/5 midpoint. From there quarters of 28 3/5 and 28 2/5 were well within the capability of the $200,000 yearling, as Keystone Abbey tried to run her win streak to five but came up 2 1/2 lengths short of the in-hand winner, who is trained by Per Engblom for Marvin Katz, Sam Goldband, Al Libfeld, and Black Horse Racing.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--