WILKES-BARRE PA – The John Simpson Sr. Memorial Stakes concluded their 2025 run Monday at Pocono Downs in Mohegan Pennsylvania, featuring two-year-old fillies: two $48,500 divisions of the Davidia Hanover for trotters and two $46,700 divisions of the Razzle Hanover for pacers. All eight Simpson stakes are named after a champion horse that the Hall of Fame had a major hand in during his Hall Of Fame career.
Even among two-year-olds, it is unusual to see a horse breaking her maiden in a stakes event, but the fastest split of both stakes went to a horse that had never won before. In the faster section of Davidia Hanover, Isabella Bi was very sharp even after 31 days off, with the people’s choice recording a distance of 1:54 miles ahead of trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt, as she extended her lead throughout the final half to win by 3 1/2 lengths. Åke Svanstedt Inc. van Svanstedt owns the fleet subsidiary of Tactical landing – Call Me Bi IT with Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing and Little E LLC.
ISABELLA BI REPEAT
In the other section, Pocono had the fourth day in a row of winning a horse over $50, as the Bar hopping – Cardinale distaff Sister Wine, taking advantage of breaks from the three favorites for the eighth, overcame a two-move trip to beat one of those breakers, Berry Good News, by a neck in a lifetime best 1:56.3 while paying $55.40.
Tyler Miller rode the outsider to victory for trainer/mother Julie Miller and Willow Oak Racing LLC. (And despite being a Bar Hopping trotter with six letters in her first name and “Wine” as a middle name, her dam pedigree doesn’t immediately reveal any connection to a Breeders Crown-winning trotter from last weekend.)
SISTER WINE REPEAT
There was the same first-as-fastest winner/longshot theme in the Razzle Hanover. Existential, who had earned $115,935, mostly against good company from New York, without winning, finally broke through on Monday in 1:53.1. The daughter of Huntsville – Frankie’s Dream won by 1¼ lengths ahead of driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Scott Di Domenico and the ownership of Triple D Stables Inc., Philip Steinberg and Michael Federeci.
The only one to disrupt the pace was the Always B Miki – A Beach Cowgirl filly Sandyboots Hanover, who made good use of lively covering and then took off herself to win in a new score of 1:53.3. Mike Wilder handled the catch-driving assignment for Pocono’s lead trainer Ron Burke (who doesn’t normally fire 18-1 shots), as he posted the win ahead of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Lawrence Karr and Phil Collura.
Two-time winners on the card were drivers Simon Allard, Matt Kakaley, Anthony Napolitano and Mike Wilder, along with trainer Adrian Wisher Sr.
Race week at Pocono concludes with a 1:00 PM card on Tuesday, with carryovers entering and closing the card: the first race Pick 4 and the last race High 5. Next week the new “Winter Is Coming” series begins with midweek features through the end of the year. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.pha.org.
For full race results, click here: American trotting results.
From the PHHA/Pocono Downs
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