Pocono: Sangria Summer delights in James M. Lynch Memorial

Sangria Summer sat behind dueling leaders Darlin's Angel and Be Perfect BG around the final turn, then ducked to the inside in the stretch to rally for a one-length win in Saturday's (Aug. 22) $250,000 Grade 1 James M. Lynch Memorial, for 3-year-old female pacers, in a stakes-record 1:48 4/5 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

Pace-setter Darlin's Angel finished second and Be Perfect BG was third. The previous Lynch Memorial stakes record was 1:49, set by Grace Hill in 2021.

Darlin's Angel and driver Lauren Tritton took the lead in a 26 3/5 opening quarter, with Sangria Summer settling into second and Be Perfect BG third. The order remained unchanged through the 55 2/5 half before Dexter Dunn launched a first-over bid with Be Perfect BG on the way to three-quarters in 1:22 1/5.

Be Perfect BG got within a half-length of Darlin's Angel heading to the stretch, but Sangria Summer and driver James MacDonald ducked into the Pocono Pike to find open road and surge to victory with a 26 2/5 last quarter.

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"That's the dream trip at Pocono; you want to be close to the lead and then when you get two heavyweights throwing down on the front-end you're licking your chops behind it," MacDonald said. "It's a good feeling. I was just hoping she would have a good kick because it was a big back-half, and she just powered home hard."

The win was Sangria Summer's third in-a-row and fourth in her last five races for trainer Luc Blais and owner Determination. In her previous start, she won the Grade 3 Shady Daisy at the Meadowlands, where Darlin's Angel and Be Perfect BG were second and third, respectively.

Sangria Summer, who was trained by co-owner Kevin Benn before being purchased by Determination on May 1, has won six of 21 career races, hit the board another six times, and earned $353,159. She was bred by Tara Hills Stud, Rene Dion, Susanne Kerwood, and Martin Leveillee.

"She's just a gem," MacDonald said. "Kevin Benn does such a great job bringing these things along as young horses, and she just keeps getting better and better. Luc bought her, and I know she's progressed every week.

"She's a filly that seems to be peaking right now and hopefully we can keep her good for a long time."

Sent off as the 2-1 second choice, Sangria Summer paid $6.80 to win.

$125,000 LYNCH CONSOLATION I - Pocono's leading driver, Tyler Buter, largely avoided first turn confusion with Say Goodnight, a daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-One Last Kiss and a divisional PaSS champion last season, got her moving quickly down the backstretch to clear to the lead past favorite Lavender Seelster nearing the far turn, then kept her alive to withstand a resurgence by the favorite by a half-length to win in a career-best 1:50 1/5. Nicholas Devita trains the winner for owners David Hamm and Glenn Phillips. She was bred by Steve Jones.

$75,000 LYNCH CONSOLATION II - Amira Hanover, a daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-Ameraway, set sail out of the gate, forcing favored Big Weekend into the pocket, then drew clear of that rival and the rest of the field throughout the last-half, winning by 9 3/4 lengths while taking a new mark of 1:50 1/5. Joe Bongiorno drove and trains the impressive winner, second choice at 9-5, for Odds On Racing. She was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms.

--the PHHA/Pocono contributed to this recap--