Anthony Napolitano increased his lead in the 2017 Pocono Drivers Longshot Derby when he brought home Classic Carpet at a $57.20 win mutuel in taking the $12,500 top conditioned pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Tuesday night.

Classic Carpet had been racing as high as “FMnw17500L5” as recently as six weeks ago, but her form tailed off. She must have regained confidence beating the bottom level distaffs last time out, because here she moved up two levels and charged home from second-over to beat second choice pacesetter Cracker Coffee by a half-length, with favoured Bettor N Better, who had provided cover to the winner, another neck back in third in the 1:52 mile.

Laurie Patistas conditions the daughter of Western Terror for owner John Leggio.

“Anthony Nap” now has brought in six of the 17 horses paying $50 or more to win at Pocono this season; Matt Kakaley is second with three. Just the previous night (Monday), Bob Bongiorno became the first trainer to send out two longshot winners, and both of his have been $100+ horses: Threeupthreedown, the first bomber of the meet and still the big price of the season at $119.20, and now Rockin Hank, who returned $110.40.

Driver Brett Miller and trainer Kevin Lare combined for a pair of victories with two-year-old pacing fillies on the Tuesday card: Yankee Will Dance, a daughter of A Rocknroll Dance who stopped the timer in 1:53.4, and the Bettors Delight miss Aims Whisper, home first in 1:56.2.

Driver Corey Callahan and trainer John Butenschoen, whose “current hot streak” with talented young horses now extends back a couple of years, were the team behind the Roll With Joe freshman gelding Paprike Blue Chip, a 1:54.2 winner.

(PHHA/Pocono)