Pocono: Upsets galore in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes

Favorites were defeated in all three Pennsylvania Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters on Sunday evening at the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Love Matters (Brett Miller) started the upset parade in the first $55,103 split as he went by favored Milligan's School (Andy Miller) in the lane from first-over on his way to a 1:54 4/5 win. He beat Taco Tuesday (Scott Zeron) and Desert Runner (Ake Svanstedt), who finished in a dead-heat for second, by 2 1/2 lengths. Milligan's School went on a break after being passed and wound up fourth.

Jimmy Takter trains the winner, an Explosive Matter colt, for owners Christina Takter, Brixton Medical Inc., John Fielding, and Herb Liverman of New Jersey, Ontario, and Florida. Love Matters won for the eighth time, and he has now earned $224,344. Love Matters was the 2-1 second choice, and he returned $6.80

13-1 shot Trolley (Marcus Miller) then struck in the second $55,503 section, rolling up the passing lane for a 1:54 4/5 win in his 2016 debut. Lagerfeld (Yannick Gingras) was the runner-up, beaten a neck by Trolley, and pace-setter Cufflink Hanover (Dave Miller) wound up third.

The winner is a Donato Hanover colt trained by Erv Miller for owners Paymaq Racing, Leland Mathias, Greg Gillis, and Lou Willinger of Illinois, Ontario, and Kentucky. Trolley was one-for-two last year, but he hadn't made a pari-mutuel start since June 28, 2015. He pushed his earnings to $43,501 and paid $28.80 to win.

Hititoutofthepark (Corey Callahan) completed the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes contests with a 1:54 2/5 verdict in the $55,503 finale at odds of 15-1. He took the lead past the 27 2/5 opening quarter and never gave up the top spot, defeating Hollywood Highway (John Campbell) by two lengths. Dupree (Svanstedt) came in third.

A Yankee Glide ridgling, Hititoutofthepark is trained by John Butenschoen for owners Give It A Shot Stable, Kurt Welling, and VIP Internet Stable LLC. of Florida, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Hititoutofthepark now has seven career wins, and he has banked $192,226. He returned $33.40 for the victory.