stakes recaps

The John Simpson Sr. Memorial Stakes concluded their 2025 run at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Monday, with two-year-old fillies featured: two $48,500 divisions of the Davidia Hanover for trotters and two $46.700 divisions of the Razzle Hanover for pacers. All the eight Simpson stakes are named after a champion horse that the Hall of Fame had a large hand in during his Hall Of Fame career.

Even with two-year-olds, it’s unusual to find a horse breaking her maiden in a stakes event, but the fastest division of both stakes went to a horse who had never won before. In the quicker Davidia Hanover section, Isabella Bi was very sharp even after 31 days off, the people’s choice recording a 1:54 mile for trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt while widening her lead throughout the last half to win by 3 1/2 lengths. Svanstedt’s Åke Svanstedt Inc. shares ownership of the fleet daughter of Tactical Landing – Call Me Bi IT with Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing and Little E LLC.

In the other section, Pocono had its fourth straight day of a $50+ horse winning, as the Bar Hopping – Cardinale distaff Sister Wine, benefiting by breaks from the three favorites before the eighth, overcame a two-move trip to defeat one of those breakers, Berry Good News, by a neck in a lifetime best 1:56.3 while paying $55.40. Tyler Miller drove the outsider to the win for trainer/mother Julie Miller and Willow Oak Racing LLC. (And despite being a Bar Hopping trotter who has six letters in her first name and “Wine” as a second name, her maternal pedigree does not immediately reveal any connections with a Breeders Crown-winning trotter this past weekend.)

There was the same maiden-as-fastest winner / longshot theme in the Razzle Hanover. Existential, who had earned $115,935, mostly against good New York company, without winning, finally made the breakthrough on Monday in 1:53.1. The daughter of Huntsville – Frankie’s Dream won by 1¼ lengths for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Scott Di Domenico, and the ownership of Triple D Stables Inc., Philip Steinberg, and Michael Federeci.

The tote board upsetter on the pace was the Always B Miki – A Beach Cowgirl filly Sandyboots Hanover, who made good use of lively cover, then drew off to win by herself in a new mark of 1:53.3. Mike Wilder handled the catch-driving assignment from Pocono’s leading trainer Ron Burke (who usually doesn’t send out 18-1 shots) while notching the triumph for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Lawrence Karr, and Phil Collura.

The John Simpson Sr. Memorial Stakes series continued Saturday at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with three-year-old colts racing in three divisions on each gait while chasing a total of $193,210.

The trotting race, known as the Ayres, saw its fastest mile, 1:52.1, turned in by the Face Time Bourbon colt Gap Kronos S, who was driven by George Napolitano Jr. for Bruni Racing Team Inc. Gap Kronos S, the favorite, had to race first-over from before the half, but coming home in a speedy :55.2 got him under the wire first, two lengths ahead of 74-1 shot Onemore Volo.

Gap Kronos S is trained by Åke Svanstedt, and the master Swedish horseman sent out another Ayers winner in the Walner gelding Don’t Ask For More. The second choice sat on the back of favored pacesetter Karinchas, then came up the inside and caught the leader by a neck in 1:54.1 for driver Johnathan Ahle and the partnership of Åke Svanstedt Inc., Nils Munkhaugen, Barry Carter, and Michael Carter.

The Greenshoe gelding Sensational, who overcame a break to win upon coming to Pocono in his last start, made it two straight over the mountain oval, never looking back to win in a lifetime best 1:53.2 for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer George Ducharme, the latter’s George Ducharme Stable LLC co-owner with W J Donovan. Had Sensational looked back late, he would have seen the chalk Onejetplane to his right and Warrior to his left, but he won by a neck over the former, who photoed the latter for second.

Pocono’s all-time leading driver George Napolitano Jr. had the fastest winner in the Ayres trot, and he also was behind the swiftest of the Albatross pacing winners, World Of Wishes. The Bettor’s Wish gelding quarter-moved to command then came his back half in :55 to complete a 1:50.4 mile a length ahead of Beach Club Monty. Chris Ryder trains the winner, third and timed in 1:47.2 in his Tattersalls section, for Philip Steinberg.

The other two Albatross divisions were taken by altered sons of Papi Rob Hanover. First to the winners circle was 15-1 outsider Dreamboat Hanover, who moved with cover behind a fast pace and then was a three length winner in 1:51.1 for the meet’s leading driver Tyler Buter and trainer Todd Schadel, the latter co-owner with wife Christine, Timothy Hayes, and Dr. Megan Moschat.

Also successful in the Albatross was the people’s choice Makes Sense, who got great cover from Gold Glove Hanover then finished out his own last half in :54.1 to defeat the raw challenger by 1¾ lengths in 1:51.3. Jack Pelling handled the winner for trainer Robert Cleary and owners Let It Ride Stables Inc. Celtic Racing, and Carl Howard.

The John Simpson Sr. Memorial Stakes continued on Tuesday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with three $30,000 divisions of both the Hardie Hanover for three-year-old pacing fillies and the Super Bowl for two-year-old trotting males.

Pocono’s all-time leading driver, George Napolitano Jr., won two of the three divisions of the Hardie Hanover, including the fastest split, a 1:51 victory with the Papi Rob Hanover miss Gigglingonthebeach. On a cool day with a stiff stretch headwind that saw only two of fourteen winners have the lead at every call, Gigglingonthebeach had “1”s straight across her line, defeating two-holer Send It Down Slim by a length for trainer Juan Cano and Hot Lead Farm, giving “Giggling” another Pocono stakes triumph to go alongside her win in the Lynch Consolation I.

“George Nap” also won a Hardie Hanover split with the Captaintreacherous filly Jordanna Hanover, who set a lifetime mark of 1:52.3 despite having to overcome going raw in a :56.1 last half. She won by two lengths over the horse on her back, Calamity Hour, for trainer Tom Fanning and Fanning Racing LLC, consisting of himself and his wife Moira, who is busy with the Breeders Crown Championships this week.

A win in the Hardie Hanover stake meant a great deal to the trainer of the other winner, Time Of The Season, as conditioner Tim Twaddle drove Hardie Hanover to many victories in top competition for trainer John Burns during the honoree’s racing career. Here Time Of The Season paced a wind-aided :26.2 third quarter to go up after leader Fanville, finally getting by that game filly by the shortest stakes margin of the day, a half-length, in 1:51.4 for Birnam Wood Farms.

Tyler Buter, Pocono’s leading driver, handled Time Of The Season, and in a maybe-not-so-odd situation, the six stakes were won by George Napolitano Jr. (second-leading driver at both Pocono and Philly), Buter (who had four victories on the day), and Philly’s leading sulkysitter, Tim Tetrick.

Buter’s win in the Super Bowl was behind the Six Pack – That Woman Hanover colt Nordic Dancer S, who  moved to the lead early then set a new mark of 1:56.1 in defeating Beer In My Hand by 2¼ lengths for the ownership of Flygind Gaard Inc.

Nordic Dancer S is trained by Åke Svanstedt, who also sent out the 1-2 finishers in one of the two divisions of the baby stakes taken by Tim Tetrick. The piebald Captain Corey – Via Lattea IT colt Nebbiolo had the largest stakes winning margin of the day, 4½ lengths, as he defeated Campanzia (who suffered far turn interference) for Knutsson Trotting Inc.

Tetrick and sire Captain Corey continued the “doubling up” theme so prevalent in the Tuesday stakes with Captain Jordan, who was the other horse to make every pole a winning one in the fastest baby trot stake division, 1:56. Two lengths back was 56-1 longshot Storm Hanover, who rallied nicely but could not catch the Scott Di Domenico trainee, who is co-owned by Di Domenico’s Triple D Stables Inc. along with Joe Faraldo.

The John Simpson Sr. Memorial Stakes started a four-card run at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Monday, with the eight stakes classes divided into two events each day, and each one named after a champion associated with the Hall Of Famer.

Unfortunately, the stakes youngsters coming out for two $45,900 divisions of the Bret Hanover for freshman colt pacers and three $30,000 divisions of the Elma for sophomore trotting fillies were greeted by cool weather and a sloppy track, eliminating chances for a fast mile. Yet three favorites and a second choice won in the Simpson action (the bomber of the day will be described near the end of this story).

In the first division of the Bret Hanover, the Stay Hungry – Tempest Blue Chip gelding Thai Hanover was made the favorite after going 1:20.4 in a recent Lexington stake and missing just a length in a 1:48.4 mile. Thai Hanover justified the crowd’s faith by getting the lead in a blink of an eye and maintaining control of the proceedings to the wire, winning in 1:55.2 by 1¼ lengths over Easy Breeze for driver Jeremy Indof and trainer Mitchell York, co-owner with Erin York.

Pocono’s leading driver Tyler Buter kept his cool behind the Captaintreacherous – Sweet Lucy Lou colt Treacherous Lou, and the baby came up the inside to win the other Bret Hanover division in 1:57.3. Treacherous Lou, the second choice, was sitting in the pocket behind favorite Superchamp Hanover on the far turn when that one made a nasty break, pushing “Lou” into the infield and the rest of the field wide. Buter got the horse literally back on course, though fourth at headstretch, but the winner had enough recovery kick to defeat 60-1 outsider Whiskey Venom by a length for trainer Robert Cleary and Royal Wire Products Inc.

Quickest winner in the three divisions of the Elma was the Southwind Frank miss Hangover, who left strongly and forced tucks, rated the middle half, then drew clear for an easy 1:57.1 success as the punters’ choice. Trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt is also the co-owner of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner with Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing Stable, Little E LLC, and Rivers Stable.

The International Moni filly Country Victory set the pace as the favorite in her division, opened up a good margin around the far turn, then tired some but had taken enough of a lead to keep steady grinder Truly Authentic a half length behind her at the wire in 1:58. A Keystone Classic divisional winner and second in the Jugette, Country Victory was driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer Melvin Schmucker and Yacht Club 140 LLC.

My Debt Collecter, a New York champion with earnings of $738,518, was made the odds-on choice in her cut despite the outside post six, and with many leaving inside, she had to take back to last early. The Muscle Hill filly Jersey Slide, with names such as Take All Comers and Next Level Stuff in her immediate pedigree, was pointed frontward from the start by driver Jordan Stratton, and though it took her three-eighths to clear, she never surrendered the lead with a strong front-end effort. My Debt Collector, 6 3/4 lengths back at the three quarters behind the runaway, closed steadily but came up three-quarters of a length short in a 1:57.3 race. The familiar combination of trainer Jim Campbell and Runthetable Stables are the connections of Jersey Slide.

The French horseman Alexis Collette, a winner of 500 races on the “other side” of Atlantic including nearly one-third of them to saddle (monte), made his U.S. debut in an overnight race, guiding the longest shot on the board, Mrstery Deal. But Collette followed second-over behind favored Choco Charlie, then sliced through a narrow opening inside of “Charlie” and was hustled along to a neck victory – quite the memorable local bow for Collette. And then he showed a razzle-dazzle more associated with Americans – wearing a transparent rain slicker over his colors, he managed to strip it off while still in the sulky coming back to the winners circle, perhaps the better to show the “JOCKIZ” sponsor logo (for a French harness racing game) on his colors!

WILKES-BARRE PA – In winding up the John Simpson Sr. Memorial stakes races for the year at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon, the dominant players were the sophomore trotter Sir Pinocchio, who achieved one distinction while just missing two others in winning a division for his group in 1:51.4; trainer Åke Svanstedt, who sent out the divisional winners in the other three of the three-year-old diamondgaited action; and the pairing of driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr., who swept the races for two-year-old pacing fillies.

In his division of the Ayres stake for his group, like the others carrying a $30,000 purse, the Met’s Hall gelding Sir Pinocchio made the lead early for driver Jason Bartlett and laid down rapid fractions of :27. :56.2, and 1:24.1, then came home in :27.3 to leave Bryant Bros S (yet another Svanstedt horse) 4½ lengths behind at the finish in the sensational win for trainer Ed Hart and owner Carolyn Atherton.

The clocking, on a cool day, was just a tick behind the Pocono track record for three-year-old trotting geldings recorded by Pinkman in 2015. It also was just a fifth behind the fastest trotting mile of the year at the northeast Pennsylvania track, a clocking shared by Sig Sauer (the Breeders Crown winner this past Saturday) and Warrawee Michelle (yet another Svanstedtite who equaled the filly track mark in that time). The clocking did lower Sir Pinocchio's lifetime record by a fifth.

Having already won the first three of the four divisions, the second-place check for Bryant Bros S meant the green, black, and white had to settle for $52,500 in stakes earnings, after winning two Crowns and $914,250 in Crown purses over the weekend.

Svanstedt himself drove two of the three Ayres winners from his barn: the faster was the front-ender Flying Kronos S, a Face Time Bourbon colt who flew home in :55.4 to win in 1:53, a new mark in a race where less than a length separated the first four finishers. Flying Kronos S is owned by Midnight Sun Partners Inc., Bruni Racing Team Inc., and Kronos Breeding Inc.

Åke also drove the Six Pack colt Mr Bluebird as he won in 1:54, also flying his back half in :55.4 in triumphing for Åke Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC, and Torbjorn Swahn Inc. Svanstedt drove another horse in the other trotting section, so frequent local Svanstedt deputy George Napolitano Jr. had the winning steer behind the Walner colt Southwind Metric, who continued on after his cover broke to win by three-quarters of a length in a lifetime best 1:53.4 for Westergaard Inc.

The Razzle Hanover was the stake for the baby pacing misses, and it carried at total purse of $100,200. The first division saw the Jim King barn go 1-2, and the other saw him send out finishers one and three.

First up was the Bettor’s Wish – Mcsauna miss Royally Hot, who has now strung together stakes wins in the Keystone Classic at The Meadows, the Liberty Bell stakes at Philly, and here her Simpson division in 1:53.2. Working gradually to the lead, Royally Hot had to keep the burners on late as she needed a :26.4 last quarter to stave off her barnmate Lyons Benz by half a length for Tim Tetrick LLC.

Pilar Hanover, a daughter of Papi Rob Hanover – Paula’s Best, also pulled off the Liberty Bell-Simpson double, authoritatively winning while recording a new lifetime speed mark of 1:51.2 for Jo Ann Looney-King and Paton Racing Inc. Beckoning Yankee got between the winner and her stablemate Lyons Anitasangel to thwart another 1-2 King finish.

The two multiple stakes-winning trainers were the only conditioners to have more than one win at Pocono on Monday, but no fewer than six drivers had a pair of victories: Jason Bartlett, Matt Kakaley, Napolitano Jr., Svanstedt, Tetrick, and Ridge Warren.

WILKES-BARRE PA – The John Simpson Sr. stakes series continued on Saturday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with $120,000 divided equally among four divisions of the Albatross three-year-old pace for males, and $117,010 distributed in three divisions of the Davidia Hanover for two-year-old trotting females.

Driver Tyler Buter, leading pilot on the day at Pocono with four visits to Victory Lane, teamed with trainer Nifty Norman for two wins among the stakes males. They both fulfilled he basic “blueprint” of the day’s stakes winners – be well-supported by the public, and race on or near the lead, that decision sometimes influenced by strong winds that varied in direction during the day.

The faster of the Buter/Norman successes were the Always B Miki gelding Its Saturday Night, who took a new mark of 1:51 on this Saturday afternoon. Its Saturday Night, the second choice, was used to make the lead, then pushed favorite Rush In to clear to the half and then sit a pocket journey. Buter kept the sophomore in behind the favorite until early stretch, then moved him out and ran down the chalk to win by the shortest possible margin for Dune Road Stables LLC.

The second of the pairing’s winners was the Bettor’s Wish gelding Wish You Well, who fit the “blueprint” in the opposite way from his stablemate: he was the favorite, and hr set the pace, getting his own fractions and holding on by a neck over the potential pocket rocket De La Hoya Hanover by a neck in 1:52.3. The winner, owned by Kovach Stables LLC, has now earned $485,440, tops among the card’s stakes winners.

Sire Bettor’s Wish got a second credit in this section when the gelding Arbitrage Hanover won for the ninth time in twelfth starts during 2024. Jack Pelling kept the favorite behind leading second choice Maxim Hanover for the meat of the mile, then turned his own last quarter in :27 to get home first by 2¾ lengths in 1:51.4 for trainer/father Brett Pelling and owners Pelling Racing LLC, Rojan Stables and Bridle Path Stables LTD.

The fastest Albatross winner was the Huntsville gelding Huntingforchrome, who shone in 1:50 while steaming home from the two-hole to catch Vengeance Blue Chip, bet to 1-2 vs. Huntingforchrome’s 2-1, by 1¾ lengths. The potent Pocono pairing of driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Travis Alexander combined to get a winning performance for NY Seb Inc.

The Davidia Hanover also saw a double win situation for a driver-trainer combo – driver Ridge Warren and trainer Marcus Melander, and again following the normal pattern of the day. The Gimpanzee-Zeta Wise AS miss and favorite Mimosatomartini S made every pole a winning one, setting her own pace then holding the pocketsitter Swoop by a half-length in 1:56.3 for Courant Inc.

Warren/Melander success also came to the Maharajah- Hot Mess Hanover filly Margareta Hanover, the odds-on favorite, in 1:56.4. Margareta Hanover was just behind a prolonged duel between pacesetter Halfadozen and Bouquet, then responded quickly when taken to the Pocono Pike and won by 1¼ lengths over the uncovered dueler for owner Russell Williams.

The fastest filly stakes winner broke her maiden while winning her cut in 1:56.2 – the Southwind Frank – Musical Morning miss Hangover. The winner’s five-horse field saw two horses break early and one starting to gap early, so this race was basically matchup between the winner and leading Princess Jackie, with the winner rallying to  a three quarters of a length margin on the money for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Åke Svanstedt, and the partnership of  Åke Svanstedt Inc., Joe Sbrocco &  JAF Racing LLC, Little E LLC, and Rivers Stable Inc. (And if we said that the winner was the third choice, especially in a five-horse field, the race still did follow the “bluepoint”: the favorite, who broke, was 3-2, the pacesetter was 8-5, and the winner was 9-5!).

On probably the last day the temperature will reach 80 degrees at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania for the next six months, Pressure Cooker (1:50) and Staying With Emily (1:50.2) won divisions of the $80,000 Hardie Hanover, the John Simpson Sr. stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies, while the two-year-old pacing gelding Dandy Ideal equaled the local standard for his division, 1:50.3.

The Heston Blue Chip filly Pressure Cooker was away on the boil for driver George Napolitano Jr., getting to the quarter in :26.2, getting a breather to the half in :55.1, then rattling off successive :27.2 splits to be three lengths clear at the finish while taking a new mark. The winner of three of her last four, all in stakes company throughout Pennsylvania (PA Stallion Series Final at Philly, a Keystone stake at Meadows, and now a Simpson stake here), Pressure Cooker is trained by Linda Toscano for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, and Mac Nichol.

The Stay Hungry filly Staying With Emily made her way forward after hotly-contested numbers of :26.4, :55.;2, and 1:22.2 in her Simpson division, then held off the horse on her back, Parkavenuelisa (denying trainer Toscano a stakes double), with a neck success. Tyler Buter handled driving duties for trainer Ron Burke and owner Brad Grant.

Not only did the freshman gelding Dandy Ideal (American Ideal – OK Heavenly) defeat older rivals on Tuesday afternoon, but driver Braxten Boyd had to use the baby three times, yet he still responded late to equal the Pocono sectional mark of Yankee Bounty (2014) and also become the current listee on the track record table achieving his place latest in the year. Jenny Melander conditions the precocious baby for Exceed Stables LLC.

The John Simpson Sr. stakes series started its 2024 run at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania during the Monday afternoon card. The two-year-old pacing gelding No Trespassing came within three-fifths of a second of the divisional track record with a 1:51.1 victory in one of two $58,000 events for his group, while Åke Svanstedt trained and drove two of the four winners in $30,000 sections of the stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies. Today’s races were called the Bret Hanover and the Elma, respectively (all Simpson divisions carry the name of a top horse with whom Simpson had some association throughout his Hall Of Fame career).

No Tresspassing, a son of  Sweet Lou – Flirtswell who in his last two outings missed a head in a “nw 2” race then was downed by a head in a Grand Circuit stake at Lexington, found himself on the right side of a photo on Monday. With the railshooting neck victory over Lochland Hanover while coming home himself in :54.3, No Tresspassing also came close to the ten-year-old divisional standard of Yankee Bounty at the mountain track while also recording a lifetime best. Jim Pantaleano guided the fast freshman for trainer Deborah Daguet and owners John Darrah and Lawrence Keethe.

The other division for freshman pacing males was won by the Papi Rob Hanover – Kiss Dont Bite colt Beach Club Monte in 1:52.1, a mark. The baby lost some ground to pacesetting favorite Inflation Proof on the far turn, then found better strides to run down the chalk by 1¼ lengths while himself closing in :55.1 for driver Tim Tetrick, and has now won two straight for trainer Brett Pelling and the partnership of South Merrick Stables and Andrew Berg.

The faster of Svanstedt’s pair of winners in the Elma for sophomore trotting misses (and the quickest sectional winner overall) was the Southwind Frank miss She Shaq, who lowered her mark to 1:53, going back numbers of :56.1 - :27.2. The winning diamondgaiter moved out raw nearing the far turn and overhauled favored frontstepper Sister Mary Maude by the day’s biggest stakes margin, 2½ lengths, for Åke Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC , and Matt Franklin.

The Swedish native also sent out the Six Pack distaff Cocktailwithakick, who set all the pace to hold off Fannie Lipkowitz by a half length, with the others far behind. Cocktailwithakick lowered her speed mark to 1:53.1 while also giving  Åke Svanstedt Inc., partners with  S R F Stable, an owning double.

Joining Cocktailwithakick as the only winning favorites in Monday stakes action at The Downs was Sapphirerainstar, who broke her maiden in her last start and here picked up a stakes victory while going a lifetime best of 1:53.4. After sitting behind leader Diamante Hanover most of the mile, the winning daughter of Walner passed that rival to win by a length for driver Simon Allard, trainer Mark Akins, and A 1 Racing.

Completing this sector’s quartet of winners was the Uncle Peter filly She’s Spicy, who fashioned a 1:54.4 victory after two breaks: one early by a foe which allowed her to race in the pocket, and another by the pacesetter, which gave her a clear chance to come up the inside to defeat closer Mon Ami Martine by three quarters of a length. Jason Bartlett drove the pupil of Per Engblom for Morrison Racing Stables.