Hasta la vista to competition in Pa Sire Stakes

Pasta Lavista stayed unbeaten after five career starts with a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes win at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Saturday afternoon. There were seven divisions of the Sire Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on the pace.

Pasta Lavista, the 1-5 betting favorite in her split, had the lead at every pole in the win. Driver Randy Tharps slowed her down after a rapid opening quarter. That left the filly, trained by Bruce Riegle for owners White Creek Stable, Inc. of Dublin, Ohio, with plenty left in the stretch, and she paced away for the win, in 1:55.3. Kwik Katie picked up second and Clandestine was third.

All five of Pasta Lavista’s have come against stakes competition, including three-for-three in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes.

Lady Annie also kept her record spotless, winning her Sire Stakes split in 1:52.4, the fastest stakes time of the day, and just one-fifth of a second behind the track record for her age, sex, and gait group. The filly, the 1-9 favorite, took over at the three-eighths and kept widening the lead from there on out. Driver Dave Palone did the driving for trainer Steve Elliott and owners Perfect World Enterprises of Old Westbury, N.Y.

Bon Mot was in another ballpark in second and I Will was further back in third. Lady Annie now has three wins in three lifetime races, with two of those wins coming in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes.

Palone then added his second Sire Stakes win of the day and his fifth at Pocono in the last two days when Up Front Bethann upset 1-9 favorite A And G’s Confusion at the wire. Up Front Bethann, now three-for-three in Sire stakes races, worked out the pocket trip and just got up in time over the prohibitive favorite, in 1:53.2. Pavla Hanover finished third. Kelly O’Donnell trains Up Front Bethann for owner C. Ed Mullinax of Amherst, Ohio.

Conchita Hanover picked up her maiden-breaking win in style with a Sire Stakes victory. Jim Taggart, Jr. did the driving for trainer Chris Ryder, as Conchita Hanover moved first-over from fourth on the backside, finally taking over around the last turn and getting up at 7-1, in 1:55.2. The Alvin Jacobson Estate of Crompond, N.Y. is the owner. Friendship Dance was second while Red Star Ashlee got up for the show.

Our New Treasure, already a stakeswinner in Maryland and New Jersey in her young career, added a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes victory to her ledger with a gate-to-wire winning effort in 1:55.1. Eric Goodell did the driving aboard Our New Treasure, the 2-1 second choice who is trained by Joe Rommuno for owner Thomas Cullinan of Upper Saddle River, N.J. Ashley’s Game picked up the place and Chester County, the 3-2 race favorite, settled for the show.

Ready To Win burned to a victory in her Sire Stakes split, in 1:53.3. Driver Yannick Gingras got the 1-5 favorite to the lead just shy of the three-eights mark, and she turned back a backside challenge before pacing away late for her second straight win at Pocono. Jeffrey Eckburg of Rockford, Ill. and Martin Scharf of Lawrence, N.Y. own Ready To Win, and Mark Ford is the trainer. Soiree was a distant second and Rusty Again finished third.

Saymynamesaymyname picked up a win in the remaining Sire Stakes division. The 3-1 shot led most of the way with Mike Simons in the bike and held off a host of closers to win in 1:55.1. Roland Mallar trains the filly for Arnie Chusid of Williston Park, N.Y. Oh I Wish finished second and Jackie’s The Gem got the show.

In other racing on Saturday at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Saturday, driver Jim Taggart, Jr. added to his Sire Stakes win by winning a pair of Open Handicap paces, aboard Idealist and Swingin Away. Taggart had four wins on the afternoon. (Pocono Downs)

« Back