Pocono: Odds On Platinum scores from first-up in Lynch Memorial

Odds On Platinum and driver Todd McCarthy came with a sustained first-over march from the backstretch and caught pace-setter Rocket Deo in the final step to win Saturday's $250,000 James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers by a nose in a stakes record-equaling 1:49 at Mohegan Pennsylvania's Pocono Downs. Pocket-sitter Caviart Belle was third.

Odds On Platinum got away fourth as several fillies left the gate quickly, with Rocket Deo, driven by Andy McCarthy, eventually settling on top just after a 26 1/5 opening quarter. From there, Rocket Deo set fractions of 54 2/5 and 1:21 4/5 before battling Caviart Belle to her inside and Odds On Platinum to the outside, with Odds On Platinum securing the narrow triumph.

"That's not typically the way she races; she usually breaks the gate very quickly, and today I guess there were others that were doing the same thing," winning trainer Ian Moore said about Odds On Platinum. "It all worked out. She's very tough and we're really proud of her.

"I thought it might be a little difficult with that bunch, first-up, but she just keeps on going. She won't quit. We're looking forward to her next one now, but we'll savor this one for tonight."

Todd McCarthy has won three of the last four editions of the Lynch. He set the stakes record with Grace Hill in 2021 before equaling it with Odds On Platinum on Saturday.

"I thought (I won) but I guess it was a little closer than I thought it was," McCarthy said. "She showed a lot of guts there. That's a big run to come first-over like that after stepping out of there for an eighth. She really was determined to dig in there. I was really happy with her."

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Odds On Platinum has won five of 11 races this year and seven of 22 lifetime, earning $579,413. She is owned by Let It Ride Stables and Odds On Racing. The daughter of Bettor's Delight-American Jewel was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. American Jewel won the Lynch in 2012.

"She's matured quite a bit this year," Moore said about Odds On Platinum. "She used to be very aggressive, even to jog at home. Now you can jog her with two fingers, no problem. She can race from the front, from the back, wherever. We really love her."

The front end produced no winners in the first five races of Sun Stakes Saturday, but driver Scott Zeron changed that situation with the Captain Crunch-Pardon filly Dandy's Mercy, who showed no mercy in the $125,000 Lynch Consolation I. The winner made two speed moves in controlling the throttle on the way to going to a new mark of 1:49 3/5, with second-place Asweetbeachhere no closer than 3 1/4 lengths off at the wire. Miraculous Deo was third. John Butenschoen trains the winner of half her 16 lifetime starts for Hart Walker, Dandy Farms Racing, FT Racing Stable, and Douglas Overhiser.

The Stay Hungry-Yoselin Seelster filly Staying With Emily stayed in third most of the $75,000 James Lynch Memorial Consolation II, then was moved first-over by driver Dexter Dunn late in the backstretch. The Ron Burke trainee quickly engaged favored pace-setter Sarasota Hanover, then wore that one down in the stretch to win by 1 1/2 lengths in a lifetime-best 1:50. Chiapanecas was third. Staying With Emily is owned and was bred by Brad Grant.

--with files from the PHHA/Pocono--