Perfect Sting makes 2021 debut in PA Sires Sunday at Pocono
At 0h02, on May 14, 2021 • By POCONO DOWNS
The Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series circuit makes its local 2021 debut during the Sunday twilight card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono as 3-year-old pacing colts contest three divisions of Sire Stakes and seven divisions of Stallion Series action.
Last year’s 2-year-old Pacing Colt of the Year, Perfect Sting, makes his seasonal bow in the ninth race Sire Stakes division after posting wins in all 10 of his freshman starts. The fastest-pedigreed Standardbred horse (by 1:46 pacer Always B Miki out of the 1:47 mare Shebestingin) has put in qualifiers of 1:52.2 and 1:52.3 for trainer Joe Holloway in preparation for this contest. David Miller will be driving the colt from post five in the field of seven.
Drawing the outside starting slot in this field is the Somebeachsomewhere colt Summa Cum Laude, who dead-heated for the win with Perfect Sting in last season’s Breeders Crown final. Trainer Ron Burke has selected Dexter Dunn to handle Summa Cum Laude on Sunday.
Southwind Gendry, a son of Always B Miki who was beaten just a head in that Breeders Crown final and who won the faster division (1:49.4) of the first Sire Stakes prelim at The Meadows, is the early favorite in the tenth race division. The Burke trainee will team with Yannick Gingras here.
Sure to drawn attention is the $800,000 yearling One Eight Hundred, a Somebeachsomewhere colt who tied for the fastest win in Pennsylvania All-Stars action here last weekend with a 1:50.1 triumph, and who Sunday has drawn the rail for trainer Nancy Takter and driver Tim Tetrick.
The first of 14 races on Sunday is set to go postward at 5 p.m.
