Pocono: Springsteen surprises in Hempt Memorial, Lather Up defeated for first time this year

It wasn't Lather Up's night in the $500,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial for 3-year-old male pacers on Saturday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, leaving the door open for an upset, and Springsteen poured through the breach, brushing by from third-over to a 1:48 3/5 victory at odds of 15-1.

Stay Hungry (Doug McNair) showed good early speed, making the lead from post four, but he would be attacked on the outside by Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley), and they were side-by-side at the 26 second opening quarter. While those two dueled, DoLather Up (Montrell Teague), who was looking to run his record to eight-for-eight in 2018, tucked into fourth from post seven.

Dorsoduro Hanover was still the boss at the 53 1/5 half, but Lather Up had begun a first-over move at that point, with Hitman Hill (Brett Miller) sitting second-over and Springsteen (Rene Allard) coming out third-over. Lather up would continue to grind away on the rim, getting to within a length of Dorsoduro Hanover at the 1:20 2/5 three-quarters, but that was as close as he got.

Springsteen fired out three-wide just prior to three-quarters, and that proved to be a well-timed move, as he got the jump on Hitman Hill, who then got stuck behind Lather Up as he rolled off-stride midway through the final bend. That allowed Stay Hungry to get off the cones and to the outside, with Nutcracker Sweet (David Miller) taking over his spot in the pocket from the three-hole.

It was a calvary charge through the lane, with several horses in contention to win, but Springsteen hit the top of the charts, getting up and defeating the passing lane-rallying Nutcracker Sweet by a head. Hitman Hill surged in deep stretch and was third, another head back, with Stay Hungry fourth and Dorsoduro Hanover fifth. The top five finishers were separated by just a length on the wire.

"It was great. The horse raced good last week, and he did it again tonight," said Simon Allard. "Here it's never too fast, so I didn't know, they could have kept on going and went in 46. I liked the fact that my horse was really nice and relaxed when they were going fast. He's the type of horse that can get angry when they're going slow. When I tipped him, it was nice, and he just flew home."

A Rock N Roll Heaven colt, Springsteen is trained by Rene Allard for owners Allard Racing Inc., Bruce Soulsby, Alan Weisenberg, and Kapildeo Singh. Springsteen now has five career wins, and he has earned $479,423. He paid $32.60 to win.

"We always knew he was a really nice horse. When he came back from Florida he had a little issue with tying up and then he had a little problem with his lungs which is why he didn't race well at Yonkers," said Rene Allard about why it took so long for him to get to this kind of mile. "My original schedule was to race him in the North America Cup, Hempt and Breeders Crown as his main races, but we couldn't make the NA Cup. With horses like this you can have a schedule but it doesn't always work out.Derick GiwnerCourtly Choice dominated in the consolation

"He's eligible to most of the big races but not the Meadowlands Pace. We also have that race at Northfield (Milstein) on our schedule. We'll see how it plays out."

Courtly Choice (David Miller) was an impressive winner of the $75,000 consolation earlier on the program. He brushed from fourth to first going to the 1:21 1/5 three-quarters, then opened up from there, winning by 12 1/2 lengths in 1:48 4/5. Heavenly Sound (Brett Miller) rallied from eighth to second in the final quarter, with Keystone Tenacious (Kakaley) third.

This was the second straight consolation win for Courtly Choice, as he also won that event on the North America Cup undercard at Woodbine Mohawk Park earlier this month.

Blake McIntosh trains Courtly Choice, an Art Major colt, for owners Hutt Racing Stable, Mac And Heim Stables, Daniel Plouffe, and Touch Stone Farms. Courtly Choice made his sixth appearance in the winner's circle, and he pushed his bankroll to $148,596. He was the 3-5 favorite and returned $3.40 to win.

"He goes to the New York Sire Stakes next," said MacIntosh. "Hopefully he'll get an invite to the Milstein (at Northfield Park)."

His only other Grand Circuit event on his schedule is the Breeders Crown, which is also at Pocono.