Miki And Minnie, Dan Patch Award winner for the 2-year-old pacing fillies last year, made her 2025 debut Monday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania in one of four $30,000 Pennsylvania All-Stars divisions, and she couldn't have been more impressive in a 1:51 victory.
Noel Daley also got his share of the spotlight during the program, as his Westwinds was also an All-Stars victor and gave the trainer his 3,000th winner in North America in the process.
Trained by Chris Ryder for owners Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo, and Lawrence Minowitz, Miki And Minnie had to start on the outside of the eight-horse field, and driver Dexter Dunn made his way gradually frontward, racing behind the cover of Pilar Hanover as that one got to the top at the 27 1/5 quarter, then moving right along to take over the racetrack and post a half time of 55 3/5 and a three-quarters of 1:22 4/5, with uncovered challenger Always Ana Hanover, the second choice behind the 1-20 favorite, tucking in the pocket nearing the far turn.
Through the stretch Dunn gave the filly the gentlest of reminders to stay to task, and that was enough to have her pace strongly through the wire 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Always Ana Hanover. After having finished her freshman campaign with a bang by winning the Breeders Crown and Three Diamonds, Miki And Minnie has now opened her sophomore racing with a win, boosting her lifetime earnings to $849,086.
Dexter Dunn won a second All-Stars race, putting a new mark of 1:51 1/5 on the Sweet Lou filly My Sweet Lily after a nerveless drive. In second-over position after fractions of 26 1/5 and 55 1/5, Dunn and My Sweet Lily, the second choice, were double-blindswitched as favored Rodeo Drive Deo came three-wide from third-over down the back, with Gigglingonthebeach on her bumper. But Dunn simply backed out his filly into the outer flow, went wide in the lane, and caught Rodeo Drive Deo by a length as the only non-favorite to take a stake. The New Jersey Classic final winner last year won in her second start of this year for trainer Nancy Takter and owners Marvin and Lynn Katz and Caviart Farms.
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The fastest All-Stars sector went to the Papi Rob Hanover filly Asphalt, who reduced her mark to 1:50 3/5. Tim Tetrick sent the filly frontward after a 27 2/5 quarter, went by the next two poles under control in 55 2/5 and 1:23 2/5, then sprinted home in 27 seconds for an easy three length win for trainer Brett Pelling and owner Margaret Dey.
Another filly lowering her mark was the Captaintreacherous filly Westwinds, who won in 1:51 2/5 for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Daley, and owners Milton Leeman, Stambaugh Keith Stable, Joe Sbrocco, and Wingfield Brothers LLC. Westwinds bided her time third as Karma passed the first two timer stations in 27 1/5 and 56 2/5, then moved uncovered to challenge the pace-setter down the back and past the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters. There wasn't much between the pair in the action home, with Westwinds proving herself more photogenic this day by the smallest of margins.
Tyler Buter and George Napolitano Jr., 1-2 in the Pocono seasonal standings for sulky-sitters, finished 1-2 in the Monday drivers tally: Buter won four races on the day (and has won 21 times in the last six cards at Pocono), and Napolitano reported home first three times. The only ones having a hotter Monday were the supporters of well-regarded horses: ten favorites and four second choices were victorious.
The racing week concludes Tuesday with a 1 p.m. first race schedule; the summer schedule being used at Pocono now is Saturday at 1 p.m., Sunday at 6 p.m., and Monday and Tuesday at 1 p.m.
--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--