All Bets Off enjoyed a perfect pocket trip behind duelling contestants for the lead, then went to the Pocono Pike and went by the stubborn pacesetting Major Uptrend to post a 1:51.1 'sloppy' track victory in the $25,000 featured pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday night.
The 70-1 shot, Dojea Solo, was fastest off the gate from the outside post seven and soon cleared everybody, with 4-5 favourite All Bets Off never ducking inside from post two and proceeding on to the lead nearing the :27.1 quarter. The 2-1 second choice, Major Uptrend, going for his sixth straight victory and ninth in his last 10 trips to the gate, followed All Bets Off the first panel, then soon brushed up to take over the lead, with Orillia Joe coming at him towards the :56 half.
Major Uptrend and Orillia Joe went at each other down the back with a ferocious :26.4 third quarter to light the board at 1:22.4, with driver Matt Kakaley having the best seat in the horse behind, the victorious son of Bettors Delight. In the stretch, All Bets Off made the famous left-hand turn into the Pocono Pike. Major Uptrend was his usual gritty self, but All Bets Off had enough in reserve to wear down "the Major" by a neck. Dojea Solo rallied despite his long odds to take third in a picture over Orillia Joe.
The Ron Burke trainee has now won two straight races, and with this victory, he boosted his lifetime bankroll to $2,339,238 for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino, and The Panhellenic Stable Corporation.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)