Sig Sauer hangs on to win $300,000 Beal Memorial

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Sig Sauer (Muscle Hill-Sigilwig), lightly-raced but with tons of ability, “saved the dignity” of the harness racing favorites in the major 3-year-old races on Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Pocono Downs’ Sun Stakes Saturday, winning the $300,000 Earl Beal Memorial in 1:51.3.

Early attrition due to breaks, including T C I, helped the victorious colt go up to the pocket early behind Situationship, then come again before the :27.4 quarter to take over the racetrack. After a half clocking of :56.4, Sig Sauer put in successive quarters of :27.2, and he needed all of that late to hold off the inside charger Situationship by a neck.

SIG SAUER REPLAY

The victory gave trainer Noel Daley wins in the two major colt races, after Captain Albano, and gave the McCarthy brothers victories in the top events for males, as Andrew McCarthy piloted Sig Sauer after brother Todd directed Captain Albano.

Afterwards Daley noted, “We might have had a chance in the Hambletonian, but the trip wasn’t quite the right one that day. Today the colt showed he was versatile, handy, with his speed, and he does love to race, although sometimes he’s a bit of a handful around the barn.”

Sig Sauer has raced only ten times in his career, winning six of those starts, and now has pushed his bankroll to $584,312 for Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Allister Stables, and Caviart Farms.

Dexter Dunn wound up winning four of the eight consolation races on Sun Stakes Saturday (with the purses in those four “consolation” races totaling $475,000) after succeeding with the Muscle Hill-Dreamgirl Hornline colt Tony Adams S in the $200,000 Beal Consolation I. The winner, an Ake Svanstedt stable member owned by Stall Arsenal AB, went a lifetime-best-equaling 1:51.4 to win by 3-1/2 lengths over Wild Ticket. Victor Laszlo was third. Tony Adams S was the third leader in the second quarter, but no one else would be on top during :55-:27 back fractions, especially after favored Private Access broke in the pocket on the far turn.

Life On The Bluf retook the lead from fast starter Greenspan (Greenshoe-Firm To Stay) past the quarter in the $100,000 Beal Consolation II, then had to continue at a quick clip in a fight with favored Smart Schooner, parked every step. Greenspan enjoyed the perfect seat just behind this duel, found room in the stretch, and was handled confidently by Dunn in wearing down the leader more easily than the half-length margin may suggest. Trainer Jim Campbell’s sophomore took three seconds off his lifetime mark with the 1:52.2 victory for owner Runthetable Stables. It Wasnt Me finished third.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From the PHHA/Pocono