The Bettors Delight gelding Barimah A, who last week lost a three-race winning streak when he drew an outside post, saw his pill shake turn upside-down this week--– from '9' to '6' -- and took advantage of the more favourable starting slot to regain his winning ways, posting a 1:50 victory in the $20,000 featured pace on Saturday (April 29) at The Downs at Mohegan Pocono.

Though Barimah A did get a better post, his route to Victory Lane was by no means an easy one. Driver Pat Berry found a four-tuck early with the winner, then had to come first-over on the favoured pacesetter Scott Rocks, really putting the pressure on the chalk by going his individual third split in :26.2. In the stretch, it was the grinder who had more to the wire than the pacesetter, winning by one and a quarter lengths, with pocket-sitter Book Binge another three-quarters of a length back in third.

Trainer Scott Di Domenico took over conditioning of Barimah A just over a month ago, and the horse is now four-for-five under his care for owners Brain Carsey, John Mcgill and Adam Friedland. The pacer lowered his lifetime mark by three-fifths of a second in the rugged victory, and his time was just a tick off the seasonal Pocono standard, set by Orillia Joe two Saturdays ago.

The trotting highlight of the Saturday card was a $16,500 conditioned event, and Skates N Plates, who had led at every call in his previous three starts only to give a little ground in the lane, was able to carry his speed wire-to-wire while equalling his personal best of 1:53.4. The hot trainer/driver combo of sulky-sitter Anthony Napolitano (four wins on the card) and conditioner Andrew Harris (two triumphs) teamed up again here with the son of Revenue S, owned by Bob Key.

A total of 10 horses were claimed on Saturday’s Pocono card, including five of the eight in an event with a base price of $15,000. Of Saturday’s six claiming races, the winner was haltered in four of them.

Trainers of top horses in the sport’s glamour division, the three-year-old pacing colts, will have an eye on the featured $18,000 10th race pace on Sunday night’s Pocono card, as it features the return of Miso Fast, who was third in his Breeders Crown event last year behind the two freshmen generally thought of as at the head of their class, Downbytheseaside and Huntsville. Miso Fast returns to the races from post seven for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Ron Burke off a 1:52.2 – :26.4 qualifying win at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

(PHHA/Pocono)