Pocono: Simpson stakes included in Tuesday's fast miles

On probably the last day the temperature will reach 80 degrees at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania for the next six months, Pressure Cooker (1:50) and Staying With Emily (1:50 2/5) won divisions of the $80,000 Hardie Hanover, the John Simpson Sr. stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies, while the 2-year-old pacing gelding Dandy Ideal equaled the local standard for his division, 1:50 3/5.

The Heston Blue Chip filly Pressure Cooker was away on the boil for driver George Napolitano Jr., reaching the quarter in 26 2/5, getting a breather to the half in 55 1/5, then rattling off successive 27 2/5 splits to be three lengths clear at the finish while taking a new mark. The winner of three of her last four, all in stakes company throughout Pennsylvania (PA Stallion Series final at Harrah's Philadelphia, a Keystone stake at The Meadows, and now a Simpson stake at Pocono), Pressure Cooker is trained by Linda Toscano for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, and Mac Nichol.

The Stay Hungry filly Staying With Emily made her way forward after hotly-contested numbers of 26 4/5, 55 2/5, and 1:22 2/5 in her Simpson division, then held off the horse on her back, Parkavenuelisa (denying trainer Toscano a stakes double), with a neck success. Tyler Buter handled driving duties for trainer Ron Burke and owner Brad Grant.

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Not only did the freshman gelding Dandy Ideal (American Ideal-OK Heavenly) defeat older rivals on Tuesday afternoon, but driver Braxten Boyd had to use the baby three times, yet he still responded late to equal the Pocono sectional mark of Yankee Bounty (2014) and also become the current listee on the track record table, achieving his place latest in the year. Jenny Melander conditions the precocious baby for Exceed Stables LLC.

In further testimony to the day's speedy conditions, eight trotters went in 1:55 or less in overnight races.

Matt Kakaley had four winners on the day, Tyler Buter and George Napolitano Jr. three.

Simpson series stake action continues when Pocono next races live, on Saturday at 1 p.m., with over $237,000 in purses marked for three divisions of rookie trotting fillies and four of sophomore pacing males. And, of course, racing fans can watch and wager on this weekend's Breeders Crown Championships on Friday and Saturday evenings.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--