Pocono: Town Victor lowers track record in winning Stallion Series final

The Monday twilight card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono was jam-packed with quality racing throughout, including eight $40,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series Championships for Keystone-sired 2- and 3-year-olds who rank just below the PA Sire Stakes ranks.

Recaps of those races are as follows:

2-Year-Old Trotters

Winning Mister–P Town Girl gelding Town Victor charged home out of the pocket to take his StS group in 1:54 4/5 – a time which set an individual and stakes record and a Pocono track record, and until yesterday would have equaled the world record (Real Cool Sam won his Sire Stakes Championship at Harrah's Philadelphia in 1:53 4/5). The winner of six of eight, including three Stallion prelims which made him the leading prelim point winner, was driven by Matt Kakaley for trainer Rich Gillock, co-owner with Barbara Richardson. Town Victor won by two lengths over pace-setter Loyal Fox Hanover.

The Andover Hall–Miss Athena filly Miss Wilia streaked right to the lead from post eight for driver Scott Zeron and set the pace, then held off the closers to win in a lifetime-best and Stallion Series Championship record 1:55 2/5. Caviart Giulia came up the inside but was a head shy of the winner of three straight, who is trained by Rick Zeron for owners/breeders Charles Resecki and Thomas Brice.

2-Year-Old Pacers

The Well Said–Bodacious Hanover colt Lake Charles was sent off at 2-1, behind his Ray Schnittker stablemate Captain Groovy at even money, but after circling that horse after a hard first three-eighths, Lake Charles was the strongest horse to the wire, winning his fourth straight race (three prelims and now his finale) while rewriting his individual and the stakes record to 1:51 3/5. Patriot Nation finished 3 1/2 lengths behind the streaking winner, who was driven by David Miller for owners Schnittker, Max J. Hempt, Dr. John Egloff, and Steven Arnold.

The Captaintreacherous–Rocknroll Cameo miss The Party’s Rockin posted the fastest clocking of her group’s StS prelims, 1:52 4/5, two starts back, then made a break on the lead as the heavy favorite last time. On Monday, the winner of half her six lifetime starts made atonement for that miscue, leading at every pole while matching her 1:52 4/5 mark. The Party’s Rockin held off game longshot Keystone Eureka by a length for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Mark Harder, and owner Matthew Dugan.

3-Year-Old Trotters

Lindy’s Crazy Hall prepped for the Stallion Series Championship with a qualifying win featuring a smart 27 2/5 last panel, and that effort seemed to be just the tonic for the son of Cantab Hall as he equaled his life mark of 1:54 3/5 in victory for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Domenico Cecere, and the Greathorse ownership. Lindy’s Crazy Hall was under pressure for much of the last half from favored Kate’s Massive, who was looking to become only the third Stallion Series horse to be a champion at two and three, but the pace-setter prevailed by a head.

After working hard to get the lead nearing the quarter, the Donato Hanover miss Jezzys Legacy was in control of her Championship, withstanding late-charging longshot Southwind Storm by 1 1/4 lengths for driver Tyler Buter while equaling the stakes record of 1:54 2/5. Trainer Ray Schnittker is also co-owner of the classy filly with Little E LLC., Ted Gewertz, and Mary Kinsey Arnold.

3-Year-Old Pacers

The Captaintreacherous colt Waterway parked Seafarer to the quarter, yielded to sit behind that rival, then came up the Pocono Pike to catch the pace-setter and take his StS Championship in 1:51. Waterway had a big late surge to edge Seafarer by a nose for driver Dexter Dunn, hot trainer Tony Alagna, and the ownership of Alagna And Begley Stable, Santo and Joseph Barbera, and David Silverman.

Driver Tyler Buter continued his winning ways in the Stallion Series Championships by guiding the Captaintreacherous filly Annie Hill, the prelim point leader, home in 1:50 4/5, equaling the stakes record. Buter gave the distaff, coming off a sick scratch, a second-over trip, and she finished strongly to defeat pocket-sitting Michelon’s Filly by 1 1/4 lengths for trainer Chris Oakes and owner Tom Hill.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--