Pocono: Weiss Series provides a springboard for late bloomers

This weekend The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono unveils the 2022 edition of the Weiss Series for 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. If hope springs eternal, one could concur that spring is the time where horsemen's hopes that their sophomores will become generational stars gets revealed.

For years, the Weiss has served the sport admirably as a starting point for lightly-raced freshmen to test the waters of stakes competition with an eager eye towards future stardom. Last year's edition was the starting point where horsemen recognized talent that would go on to win major races.

Dexter Dunn piloted Bella Bellini to a leg victory in the Weiss division for sophomore trotting fillies in 2021. The Nifty Norman-trained filly lacked the resume as a 2-year-old that would have given an indication of greatness but following a win in the Weiss expectations changed dramatically.

"When I spoke with Dexter after she won at Pocono he was amazed at the kind of speed she had," said David McDuffee, the breeder and owner of Bella Bellini, when asked when he first recognized the talent his filly possessed.

On the pacing side, One Eight Hundred, an expensive yearling that didn't put all the pieces together as a 2-year-old, made a huge impact in the Weiss Series for trainer Nancy Takter, but got trapped inside in the final and lost all chance. While missing out on the lion's share of the $40,000 purse was a downer at the time, the son of Somebeachsomewhere would atone for it on the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit, defeating defending champion Southwind Gendry in a leg at Pocono in decisive fashion.

For years, I've been a major fan of winter and early spring series dedicated to those horses that, for one reason or another, didn't achieve much as 2-year-olds. Given the extraordinary strain put on our young horses, trainers throughout North America had to make important decisions about whether to push a young horse over the edge to compete or give them time to develop. A mistake as a freshman by a trainer could end the racing career of a horse with talent, and the choice to put one away and give them time to mature is vital not just for individual horses, but for the health of an industry that demands a racing product long after stakes seasons have ended.

The Weiss is today's iteration of late closers gone from the New York-New Jersey circuit. At the Meadowlands the New Faces Series was an institution for a long time, coming a bit earlier than April but offering horsemen from throughout North America the chance to compete for solid money and a quality final purse. What Pocono's racing secretary Rick Kane has managed to do over the years is capture horsemen's attention with this well-placed series on the racing calendar and over time the number of entries continues to swell.

A surprising 97 colts and geldings were named to the Weiss for 3-year-old trotters, and the series kicks off on Saturday (April 2) with just three $20,000 divisions, but the number of entries is likely to grow with two more legs scheduled (April 9 and April 16) before the April 23 $40,000 guaranteed final.

It will be interesting to see just how much better some of the trotters turn out to be with a year or more of training. El Toro Loco, a gelded son of Walner, did finish on the board in six of his nine races as a freshman and closed out that campaign with a third-place finish in Grand Circuit action at The Red Mile. El Toro Loco returned to action at The Meadows on March 17 with an effortless 1:55 blowout victory, a career-best clocking after adding Lasix for the first time. El Toro Loco drew post seven in Saturday's fourth race and first Weiss division at Pocono.

Linda Toscano has a nice-looking colt by Walner's pop Chapter Seven racing in the third Weiss division on Saturday by the name of Emma Talking. Emma Talking made no pari-mutuel starts last year but has looked sharp in both of his sophomore starts at the Meadowlands and enters the Weiss of a 1:56 victory on March 19 over the mile track in East Rutherford, N.J. Emma Talking drew post eight (race eight) and will have to earn the win in a race that includes horses that raced with stakes company in 2021.

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Fillies will take to the track on Monday when the Weiss series continues for 3-year-old trotters and pacers in multiple legs. A total of five $20,000 divisions for pacing fillies and three for trotting fillies highlight a 15-race afternoon program with first post at 1:30 p.m. More than 100 pacing fillies were nominated to the event.

I'll reserve judgment on the fillies until after Monday's first round is completed. However, there is one filly I'll be rooting for because of her moniker. Yes Oui Si drew the rail in the eighth race division for pacing fillies and deserves credit alone for a great name given to her by breeder Holland Racing Stable.

The first round for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings doesn't get underway until the following Saturday (April 9), and that will give the connections behind 104 nominees an extra week to prepare for the three preliminary legs and hopefully the April 30 final. All Or Nothing, a son of Always B Miki, has already won at Pocono this year and qualified for driver Scott Zeron on Wednesday (March 30) in 1:54 1/5 with a 27 1/5 final quarter. All Or Nothing has an interesting pedigree as the second living colt from the dam Booya Beach. The maternal line here extends back to champion Jenna's Beach Boy.

Trainer Ray Schnittker's Greg The Leg is certain to return to Pocono following a sharp score at Yonkers this past Tuesday night (March 29).

"His win at Pocono [1:55 on March 21] was much better than the line indicated," said Schnittker. "It was a fierce wind he went into that last quarter."

Greg The Leg, a gelding from the first crop of Schnittker's Huntsville, showed speed at both ends, winning at Yonkers in 1:56 2/5.

Trainer Nancy Takter gave JK Miki Mantle a start over the track, and the colt by Always B Miki from her former Horse of the Year JK She'salady came a solid back-half to win in 1:55 3/5 while quite comfortable across the wire.

The Tony Alagna-trained Captaingiddyupngo will make his sophomore debut at the Meadowlands on Saturday following an incredible qualifying effort. The son of Captaintreacherous was just a head behind last year's Adios elimination winner Water Sports Teen in a 1:50 3/5 mile with an individual 25 3/5 final quarter. If those times are to be believed, Captaingiddyupngo could use the Weiss as a coming-out party in this division.

The next few weeks are likely to reveal some quality colts, geldings and fillies we can look forward to watching and rooting for when summer comes around.