Pacing distaff action at The Downs

WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Captaintreacherous sophomore filly Marsala Hanover, one of the top members of her state class last year and this, took a new mark of 1:50 while capturing her harness racing division of three $15,300 features reserved for pacing distaffs on Tuesday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Bucking a trend on a front-end-favoring day, Marsala Hanover sat in the pocket for driver Scott Zeron when Classicist worked to the top, getting a fine journey behind fractions of :26.3, :54.4, and 1:22.2.

Classicist proved a tough rival to overhaul late, but Zeron, guiding his third winner on the day, rallied the winner of $326,438 by late to post a half length decision for trainer Linda Toscano and the ownership ofLet It Ride Stables Inc., Bottom Line Racing LLC, South Mountain Stables, and Little E LLC.

MARSALA HANOVER REPLAY

The Sweet Lou gelding Tru Lou, close without winning in many recent starts, became reacquainted with the winners circle in taking the divisional feature for male pacers. Tru Lou left sharply for driver Matt Kakaley, made the top well before the :27 quarter, then slowed the half down to :56.1.

Things sped up with Coalition Hanover made a charge down the backstretch, pushing at the 1:23.4 three-quarters, with Mankat waiting for the Pocono Pike and Cigar Smoking Tony slipping off the rail to follow cover and then circle it.

In the end it was Cigar Smoking Tony who proved the biggest threat to the winner, a neck behind and possibly even closer if not for some stretch course correcting, but Tru Lou still had a :26.3 last quarter in him to stop the timer in 1:50.2. Ron Burke, also a three-time winner on the day, trains the fast four-year-old for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services Inc., and Slaughter Racing Stable LLC.

TRU LOU REPLAY

On the trot, Beyond Ordinary cleared quickly from the outside post nine and went wire-to-wire to take his second straight, here in 1:53.4, just a fifth off his lifetime best. Marcus Miller rated the pace with the son of Kadabra with fractions of :27.2, :56.4, and 1:25.1, then stayed strong and proved three lengths better than first-over SVF Blushingbride. Jenny Melander trains the handy trotter for her Melander Racing Inc. and Noonan Harness Racing LLC.

BEYOND ORDINARY REPLAY

Racing resumes on Saturday afternoon at 12:30; on Sunday’s 5 p.m. twilight card, four stakeswinners in the first round of Pennsylvania stakes action for two-year-old trotting fillies are among the entrants in two $35,000 divisions of the Pennsylvania All-Stars event for this bracket. Program pages will be available at www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.

For full race results, click here.

From the PHHA/The Downs