McCarthy scores PASS hat trick at Pocono

Australian-born Andrew McCarthy enjoyed his biggest night ever in North America on Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, collecting three Pennsylvania Sire Stakes victories for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

In the opening division, with each of the races carrying purses of $42,000-plus, McCarthy shot up the Pocono Pike (passing lane) to win with 17-1 longshot Sand Benelli with the timer reading 1:51.1. McCarthy never left the pylons in this opening division, sitting fourth or fifth throughout the mile before taking to the passing lane and winning by three-quarters of a length over Jim Morrill Jr. and Built To Drive with third-place going to Tim Tetrick and Vertigo Hanover. Jim Arledge trains Sand Benelli (The Panderosa-Panterafansinlove), who was picking up his first win of the 2009 season in the horse’s fifth start.

McCarthy drove Bunkmeister to his second straight Sire Stakes victory in the very next division, also winning by three-quarters of a length over Morrill and Iamperfectright. Third in this race were Daniel Dube and River Shark. Both of McCarthy's wins came from the number five 5 post. However, McCarthy and Bunkmeister (The Panderosa-Pleasant Thoughts) took the lead after the opening panel and won this one with the fastest time of the six stake races. It was a 1:50.4 clocking and a new life mark for the George Teague Jr. trainee.

The third stakes win of the evening for McCarthy came with Doubleshotascotch in the fifth of six divisions. This mile went in 1:52.3 over a sloppy track after the racing surface was pounded by heavy rains from a severe thunderstorm. Noel Daley trains this winner, a son of Dragon Again-Pacific Sister K.

Prior to the rains, Dick Stillings drove El Cucuy (Allamerican Native-Witch's Lair) to a 1:51.3 victory in the third division with Rusty’s All In (Tetrick) second and Denim Hanover (David Miller) third.

Ron Burke-trained Astounding Hanover (Allamerican Native-Aw Shucks Hanover), piloted by Yannick Gingras, was another stakes victor, stopping the timer in 1:51.2 with Morrill and Clear Vision second and Going Native (Joe Pavia Jr.) third.

Market Analysis (The Panderosa-Die Loving), a 34-1 longshot driven by Daniel Dube, won the sixth and final division with a time of 1:52.1. John McDermott trains Market Analysis, who defeated Panplona (Morrill) and Buckeye Nation (McCarthy). (Pocono Downs)

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