Burke takes 2 PASS 3YO finals at Pocono

September 30, 2007

Four $100,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships were held for sophomores on Saturday at Pocono Downs and the new champions are Western Graduate, May June Character, Up Front Ben and Loch Katrine.

Western Graduate, fresh off her Jugette triumph, closed out her stellar PASS career with a thrilling comeback win in the final for 3-year-old filly pacers. She was sent off as the 1-2 favourite from post three but worked hard to get the lead at the quarter. But a victory was questionable when Captiva Island passed and cleared her as the final turn approached.

Driver Greg Grismore didn't panic though, and he fired back with Western Graduate on the outside in the stretch. The daughter of Western Hanover easily went by and claimed the win in 1:51:4. Fiery Buckeye rallied for second while Captiva Island faded to third.

That makes seven wins in nine career Pennsylvania Sire Stakes races for Western Graduate, a daughter of Western Hanover, including state championships at both ages 2 and 3. Mickey Burke is the trainer for an ownership group that includes Sylvia Burke and George Leon on Pennsylvania, Thomas Cherichello of Nevada, and Lawrence Karr of New Jersey. Western Graduate has now earned in excess of $500,000 in her career.

Burke also trains new PASS pacing colt champion May June Character, who matched a track record for his age group with a win in 1:50:3. With Eric Goodell in the bike, May June Character worked out a pocket trip behind fellow Burke trainee Won The West, the 9-5 favourite, who set blistering fractions.

When they hit the stretch, May June Character, the 2-1 second choice owned by A Bunch Of Characters II and Sanford Goldfarb of New York, zipped on by for the record-setting win. Goldfarb also bred the son of Shady Character.

Won The West settled for the place and Up Front Kyle finished third.

The 1:50:3 mark set by the 3-year-old gelding matches the track record set by Marks Superstar back in 2002.

Goodell added a second championship with a 1:55.3 win aboard Up Front Ben in the trotting colt division. The 7-5 favorite, Up Front Ben survived a tough first-over grind to get a solid lead and held off a late charge by Wild Wind, who finished second. Overhaul was third.

Up Front Ben is trained by Kelly O' Donnell for C. Ed Mullinax.

Loch Katrine rallied from out of the clouds to pull off a mild upset at 5-1 in the trotting filly division. She was sixth on the backstretch on the outside, but she rallied out in the centre of the track late to pass 3-5 favorite Speedy Edie, who was worn down from a long first-over trip.

Trainer-driver Ed Lohmeyer brought Loch Katrine home in 1:56:4 for owners Robert and Lauren Tucker. Speedy Edie settled for second and Pembroke Spice picked up the show. (Pocono press release)

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