Si Semalu became the newest member of the quarter-million-dollar club when he won the $20,500 featured pace Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Pocono, plowing through ‘sloppy +2’ conditions to post a 1:52.3 triumph.
Jim Marohn, Jr. hustled the Modern Art gelding to command in front of the stands and held sway the rest of the mile, although needing every bit of a :56.1 last mile to hold off a stubborn first-over challenger in Andreios Kardia, who finally came up a neck short. Bruce Clarke trains Si Semalu - a career winner of $253,926 - for owner John Coffey.
The Mach Three gelding Archangel Three sat a great pocket trip, came clear along the inside, went to the lead, and then held off good closing bursts from Ginger Tree Crash and Phil Your Boots to take down a $17,000 co-featured pace. Matt Kakaley, who had four sulky victories at press time, got the winner of $118,504 home in 1:53 in the messy conditions for trainer Ron Burke and Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and M1 Stables LLC.
Archangel Blue Chip was second choice in his event to the great local favourite Luck Be Withyou, who set the pace but couldn’t make his lead stand up in the drive in his 89th and final career start. The son of Western Ideal, usually handled by George Napolitano, Jr. for trainer Chris Oakes and owners John Craig and Northfork Racing Stable, will now begin a new career as a stud at Maple Lane Farm, Grabil IN, after being the living definition of the term “Horse for the course,” as this graphic shows:
LIFETIME: 89-28-15-5-$1,454,166
POCONO: 31-17-7-1-$760,230
- won his Breeders Crown elim and final at age two here
- won his Franklin elim and final at age four here
- took his lifetime mark of 1:47.4 in winning his Franklin Consolation here at five
- won in 1:50 or better each of his five racing years here
(PHHA/Pocono)