South Beach Star shines in Pocono feature

WILKES-BARRE PA – The early speed and ratability of South Beach Star (Somebeachsomewhere) were the keys to his victory in the $18,500 fast-class featured harness racing pace at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon (Aug. 10), as he posted a 1:50.3 triumph.

Driver Braxten Boyd wanted to set the pace with the victorious gelding, and paid the price of :26.4 to get the top spot. Boyd then was able to give his pacer a monstrous breather to a :56.3 half, then turned on the afterburners, reaching the three quarters in 1:23.2 and then only needing to give mild hand coaxing to defeat pocketsitter Joemikiyoursofine by a half length.

SOUTH BEACH STAR REPLAY

South Beach Star, now six, has certainly shown the will to win for trainer Mark Silva and All Star Racing Inc. – the fast sidewheeler is now six-for-ten this season and 31-for-82 (38% win rate) lifetime, with earnings of $468,465.

Co-featured on the Saturday card were three $17,000 divisions of the trotting class often used by horses as a springboard up the classladder. All three winners posted times within a fifth of each other.

Mr Grant (Tactical Landing) shipped in to Pocono and promptly earned himself a new mark of 1:54.3. The gelding and driver Jim Marohn Jr. refused to surrender the lead despite stiff challenges through fractions of :27.1, :56.1, and 1:25.2 and beyond, finishing out 1¼ lengths ahead of Tui’s Angel, who had a hard trip, for trainer/owner D. R. Ackerman.

MR GRANT REPLAY

A theme of many races Saturday was horses making the lead then being able to back off the half as the field faced a stretch headwind, as exemplified by Purple Lord (Tactical Landing). Jason Bartlett got him to command early in :27.3, backed the half off to :57.3, then went to the third station in 1:26 and kept command to the wire in a 1:54.4 mile, with two-holer Frenchy Hanover nearest at the wire, a length back. John Butenschoen conditions the winner for Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc., Berg Bros. Stable, and Rich Preziotti.

PURPLE LORD REPLAY

The gelding Lava Field (Muscle Mass) flowed right to the top and set fractions of :27.3, :56.4, and 1:25.2 en route to an easy 1:54.4 victory, 3¾ lengths clear of Wild Ending, for Pollack Racing LLC. Lava Field was part of a four-winner day for driver George Napolitano, who is now tied with Matt Kakaley at 180 winners for the meet, and part of a double for trainer Jeff Cullipher, who now sports a 45-43 lead over Dean Eckley.

LAVA FIELD REPLAY

Ten favorites clicked on the 14-race card, yet there was still room for Sweet Shuney Moon (Sweet Lou, $87.80) in the first race and A Major Attitude (Captaintreacherous, $99.80) in the thirteenth. It was the first day that Pocono had produced two “bombers” paying $50+ to win since April 29.

As perhaps a prelude to next Saturday’s $2M+ Sun Stakes Saturday supercard (to be drawn Monday), there will be stakes performers headlining Sunday’s 6 p.m. program, as Pennsylvania-sired two-year-old trotting colts will contest the third preliminary round of their action, with two divisions of Sire Stakes and five sections of Stallion Series competition. There will also be a $3396.90 carryover into Sunday’s first race Superfecta wager, and also a carryover into the last race High 5 bet. Free Pocono programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.

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

From the PHHA / Pocono