Sport’s stars to shine on Pocono’s Sun Stakes Saturday
At 0h02, on August 17, 2021 • By POCONO DOWNS
The top trotters and pacers in North America will be coming to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono this Saturday afternoon (8/21) seeking to boost their bankrolls and place in the pecking order as they compete on the $2,038,000 Sun Stakes Saturday card.
There are 11 stakes or Invitational races on the 14-race card, which begins at 12:30 p.m.; the other three contests will be for fast-class pacers who have demonstrated the ability to go in 1:50.
Here is a brief look at the two Invitationals:
SEBASTIAN K S INVITATIONAL TROT (race 8)
Manchego decided to bypass this event, but her archrival over the past few years, Atlanta, will be here. The daughter of Chapter Seven, a winner of exactly half of her 56 lifetime starts and $2,857,999 in her storied career, comes into this race off a tough two-move victory in 1:50 4/5 victory in the Dr. John Steele trot on Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands, and in the field of nine she landed post 5, the most productive post at Pocono. Yannick Gingras is scheduled to drive for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership of Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant, and Howard Taylor.
The race will certainly not be a walkover for Atlanta though, with the likes of the tough mare When Dovescry and two millionaires who always seem to be in the picture, Ready For Moni and Lindy The Great.
ALWAYS B MIKI INVITATIONAL PACE (race 14)
The Somebeachsomewhere gelding Nicholas Beach, who this season has blossomed into a top free-for-aller after a couple of seasons climbing the classladder on the eastern Pennsylvania scene, deserves top mention here as he begins from post 2 in a nine-horse field for the brother-sister team of driver Joe and trainer Jenn Bongiorno and the ownership of John Lengacher, Michael Cote Gagnon, and Jennifer Bongiorno Stable LLC. Nicholas Beach has six wins and three seconds (by two necks and a half-length) this year, and since opening his campaign with a 1:51 1/5 win here in March, his five wins have averaged 1:48 1/5 (not counting his record 1:47 4/5 qualifying victory).
One of his chief competitors will be starting just to his inside: Backstreet Shadow, a millionaire coming off a third, beaten only a half-length in the Dan Patch at Hoosier after having to go first-over. Southwind Ozzi, the 2019 Little Brown Jug winner, has won four of his last six, but post seven may be difficult to surmount.
