Last week, driver George Napolitano, Jr., trainer Hunter Oakes, and the Northfork Racing Stable ownership raced their Strawbs Chippie N, just acquired in a claim, in a claiming handicap pace for mares, worth $14,000, at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, won with her – and lost her to a claim.

Last week, Northfork had a backup plan – they claimed Warrawee Qually, second to Strawbs Chippie N. They entered ‘Qually’ right back in that same claiming event on Monday, won with her by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:52.4, just a tick off her lifetime best – and promptly lost her to a claim out of the race.

But that’s two $7,000 purse cheques in two weeks, minus a week of training fees for each, so all concerned have done very well in this class recently. Next week, the Northfork connections will likely give the class a rest, as they claimed no one from Monday’s event – although there are private purchases and barn changes.

For the second straight night at The Downs, a longshot winner opened the proceedings, as there was joy in Mudville when Casey Hanover wired his field and paid $51.80.

Casey Hanover’s driver was Anthony Napolitano, currently the leading dash winner at the track; his trainer, Steve Salerno, in one year captured both the local driving and training dash titles and the UDR crown – way back in 1981 (Steve added training titles in 1982 and 2000). Of the fifteen longshots to pay $50+ at Pocono in 2018, four have come in the first race (and two more in the second half of the Double).

(PHHA/Pocono)