Pocono: Sears, Melander strike with Temporal Hanover in Earl Beal Jr. Memorial

Temporal Hanover got the lead prior to the opening quarter and stayed on top from there, winning Saturday's $300,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters by one length over Pretender in 1:53. Pour Mea Double finished third and Hambletonian champ Cool Papa Bell was fourth despite making a break at the start.

Temporal Hanover, who was beaten by three-quarters of a length in finishing third in the Hambletonian final on Aug. 6 and by a head in his Hambo elimination a week earlier, took the field through fractions of 26 4/5, 56 3/5, and 1:24 4/5 to capture the Beal as the 4-5 favorite.

"He was used a little hard, but I figured I was going to try to steal as much as I could going to the half," winning driver Brian Sears said. "He kicked home.

"This horse really deserves it. He's been racing great all year. He's won a couple big ones, and he deserves another."

Temporal Hanover, trained by Marcus Melander, won the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Main Event on July 9 and has posted four wins, three seconds, and a third in eight starts this season. He was a multiple Grand Circuit winner last year.

"It worked out perfectly today," Melander said. "It's a little tough to go to the lead because there are some strong winds out there, so he did a good job.

"He's a good horse, he's an honest horse, and he's been racing good all year. He was first over both the eliminations and final of the Hambletonian, so I thought he was going to have a good shot today."

Temporal Hanover is owned by AMG Stable, Kenneth Kjellgren, Rick Wahlstedt, and Heights Stable. The colt, a son of Walner-Think Twice, was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. For his career, he has won nine of 20 races and earned $766,291.

He paid $3.80 to win.

The Earl Beal Jr. Memorial honors the former president of the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association who helped bring casino gaming to the state's racetracks.

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In the $200,000 Beal Consolation I, Molotov Cocktail settled in fourth as World At War Deo and King Of The North battled head-to-head to the half, circled three-wide on the backstretch, picked up cover from El Toro Loco on the final turn, and marched to victory by three-quarters of a length over B A Superhero in 1:52 4/5. El Toro Loco was third.

Molotov Cocktail, the 8-5 favorite, was driven by Sears for trainer Linda Toscano. The colt is owned by Richard Gutnick, Tom Pontone, and Gary Cocco. The son of Chapter Seven-Moonlight Cocktail was bred by Gutnick and T L P Stable. He has won seven of 15 lifetime races and earned $348,952.

In the $100,000 Beal Consolation II, Stride The Hill left quickly from post six to get good early position, was on the pylons in third at three-quarters, and rallied inside through the lane following a misstep by favorite Robertsin to win by three-quarters of a length over Nice Guy Eddie in 1:53 3/5. Famous Father finished third.

Stride The Hill, sent off at 9-1, was driven by Tim Tetrick for trainer Jim Campbell. The gelding is owned by Fashion Farms. A son of Muscle Hill-Open Access, he was bred by Fair Winds Farm. For his career, Stride The Hill has won four of 20 races and earned $136,652.