Pocono: Top Me Off brings out the broom in Weiss Series final

The Bar Hopping ridgling Top Me Off completed a sweep of his Bobby Weiss Trotting Series action for males, adding the $40,000 Championship on Sunday to his three earlier preliminary wins at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono with a 1:54 4/5 triumph.

Trainer Todd Schadel had guided Top Me Off to the prelim wins, but he turned to driver Andy Miller to handle the 3-year-old in the final. Their horse had drawn the outside post nine for the Championship, but even before the race they had luck, with a rival scratching and thus letting them start just a bit more inside.

Top Me Off nonetheless covered a good deal of wide ground to make the lead by the 28 2/5 quarter, but things were well in control after that, with middle fractions of 57 3/5 and 1:26 leaving the sophomore with plenty left in the tank and able to leave the opposition safely behind. Top Me Off is now undefeated in five 2021 starts, and he raised his career bankroll to $107,348 for the ownership of Todd and Christine Schadel and Rick and Regina Beinhauer.

In the $17,500 Weiss consolation for this classification, the Southwind Frank colt Tart Tongue broke his maiden in style with a 1:56 1/5 victory. Brian Sears sent the heavy favorite to the lead nearing the 28 4/5 quarter, rated the half to 59, then put in a pair of 28 3/5 quarters to win off by himself for trainer Marcus Melander and Stall TZ Inc.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--