Recent New Zealand-import More The Better N was placed just off a wicked middle half speed duel and then tipped wide into the lane and paced down the game pacesetter Highalator by a neck in a $30,000 Great Northeast Open Series (GNOS) event for fast-class pacers Saturday, Aug. 18 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, stopping the timer in 1:49.
Highalator was away quickly and put series pointleader Rodeo Romeo in the pocket behind him through a :27.1 opening quarter. Split The House and driver Tyler Buter, sitting third, made a quick move trying to get the lead but Highalator and driver Eric Carlson fought in breakneck fashion from the three-eighths onward, neither giving much in a :53.3 middle half.
Driver Corey Callahan got to second-over position behind the parked Split The House down the backstretch before tipping the son of Bettors Delight wide for the stretch drive. Highalator held off the wall of horses in contention behind him approaching the line but More The Better N found the best late pace to gain the photo victory. Split The House also held gamely to be just another half-length back in third.
More The Better N now has won two races in four starts this season stateside, with this 1:49 his fastest on this soil for trainer Ross Croghan and the Robert Cooper Stables LLC. The victory also moved More The Better N up to seventh in the GNOS pointstandings, with next week being the final scheduled preliminary before the $100,000 GNOS divisional champions on Sunday, Sept. 2 at Pocono at a distance of one-and-a-quarter miles.
In the $20,000 claiming handicap pace co-feature, Pembroke Wildcat continued a rich vein of recent form, making the lead in front of the stands and then going on to a lifetime-best of 1:50.3. The Western Maverick gelding, driven by Tyler Buter for owner-trainer Brittany Robertson, was six-and-three-quarter lengths clear of the rest of the field at the wire to boost his earnings to $316,427 lifetime. The winner was claimed for $30,000 out of the race.
(With files from the PHHA)