PASS finals at Pocono

Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champions were crowned Saturday afternoon, Sept. 16 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs as four $100,000 finals were contested. Favorites carried the day and a new track record was set as filly trotter Undercover Lover won in 1:56.2, shaving a full second off the previous mark.

In the first $100,000 final on the card, the afternoon’s fourth race, 1-5 choice Western Graduate established a new lifetime best in her 1:53.2 score. The Western Hanover filly, trained by Mickey Burke and driven by Dave Palone, grabbed the lead early and never looked back through fractions of :27.2, :57 and 1:25.1. Jayne’s Character and George Brennan stormed from the back of the field through the lane but came up short at the wire. Top Shelf Hanover, driven by Tony Hall, was third.

Western Graduate collected her sixth win in 11 starts. She is owned by Sylvia Burke, George Leon, Thomas Cherichello and Lawrence Karr. With the victory she improved her career earnings to just over $120,000 while lowering her mark by a full second.

The second PASS final, for filly trotters, saw Undercover Lover and Joe Pavia Jr. knock a full second off the track record en route to a 1:56.2 victory. The Tagliabue lass went off at 1-5 before notching her fifth win in eight starts. Upmarket Hanover and Mike Wilder raced second and Pembroke Spice rounded out the trifecta.

Undercover Lover is owned and trained by Lori Castranuovo of Colts Neck, N.J. Entering the $100,000 final the filly carried a mark of 1:58.1. The winning time eclipsed the 1:57.2 track record set by Beignet Hanover on July 12, 2003.

In the third $100,000 contest Big Business slid up the rail in the stretch to take top honors for freshman colt and gelding pacers in 1:52.4. Driven by Tom Jackson for trainer and co-owner Ben Stafford, the Dragon Again gelding collected his second straight score and third in seven starts this season. Filippo Hanover and Ray Paver finished in the runner-up spot and Rustys Casino and David Miller were third.

Big Business is owned by Stafford, of Felton, Del., and Richard MacLeish of Ocean City, N.J. The winning time was a new lifetime mark for the gelding.

The $100,000 final for colt and gelding trotters went to Haughton Memorial runner-up Mythical Lindy and Miller in 1:57.1. The SJ’s Caviar colt went off as the 1-9 favorite and wired the field to earn his fifth win in seven starts. Roger Hammer guided Que Pasa to a second-place effort and Keystone Brady and Brennan collected third.

A winner of over $165,000 entering the final, Mythical Lindy dropped three-fifths off his best in the victory. He is trained by James Arledge Jr. for owners Thomas York and Joe Sbrocco.

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