Pocono: Real Cool Sam records another win in PA Sire Stakes

Real Cool Sam still has yet to taste defeat in his career as a 1:56 2/5 effort in the second of two Pennsylvania Sire Stakes divisions for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters on Sunday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono gave him his seventh win from seven starts. Capricornus prevailed in 1:55 2/5 in the other flight.

David Miller sent Real Cool Sam away from post four in the $91,809 race, and he would clear Big Oil (Andy Miller) for command near the 29 1/5 opening quarter. Real Cool Sam got all the respect from there, loping through a 59 second half and a 1:28 three-quarters with Rome Pays Off (Mattias Melander) trying it from first-over going to the latter marker. Real Cool Sam maintained the lead around the last turn, was asked with a couple taps to quicken turning for home, and coasted to the wire to defeat a passing lane-shooting Big Oil by half a length. Rome Pays Off wound up third.

A Muscle Hill gelding trained by Jim Campbell, Real Cool Sam is a homebred for Jules Siegel's Fashion Farms LLC. He has earned $294,038 to go with his perfect record, and he paid $2.10 to win as the 1-9 favorite. Real Cool Sam's dam is the world champion Broadway Hall mare Cooler Schooner (1:51 3/5, $154,984).

Capricornus (Tim Tetrick) had control at the 28 2/5 first quarter in the opening $92,209 sire stakes showdown, but he would let a parked-out King Alphonso (Ake Svanstedt) work his way into the lead just prior to the 57 4/5 half. King Alphonso managed to repel a first-up bid from Amigo Volo (D. Miller) to the 1:26 4/5 three-quarters and around the final bend, but Tetrick sent Capricornus into the passing lane in the stretch, and he came through while in-hand to win by three-quarters of a length over El Ideal (Dexter Dunn), who followed on the rail. King Alphonso wound up third.

Marcus Melander trains Capricornus, who was fourth to Real Cool Sam in the Peter Haughton Memorial on Hambletonian Day, for owner Jj Stable. Capricornus, a colt by Cantab Hall, now has a pair of wins from five starts, and he has pocketed $81,770. Bred by Windsong Stable, Capricornus was a $110,000 Standardbred Horse Sale buy and is the first foal out of the Glidemaster mare Oh My Darlin (1:55 3/5, $34,537), a half-sister to Cedar Dove (Andover Hall, 1:52 3/5, $1,178,930). He was the 8-5 choice and returned $5.20 to win.