Noses, closers and upsets were the order of the day at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Sunday evening, July 28, especially in the two feature races.

In the top event, a $20,833 trot, the Southwind Frank gelding Songs In The Wind (pictured above) changed tactics and was forwardly placed, landing in the pocket behind slow fractions of :28.2, :59.1 and 1:28.1. The tempo, and the competition, certainly picked up in the stretch, with Songs In The Wind using the famed Pocono Pike to win a four-horse photo in a career-best 1:56.2, himself coming home in :27.4 for trainer Richard Titter, co-owner with Susan Titter. For driver Braxten Boyd, the $51.20 mutuel was his fifth “bomber” ($50+) of the meet -- the youngster showing he can do a lot with horses not particularly fancied in the odds. International Gift swung widest and was just a nose off Songs In The Wind and a half length ahead of pacesetter The Moment, who in turn was a neck ahead of fourth-place finisher and favourite Sister Diane.

In a $19,444 co-featured pace for distaffs, it was the Stay Hungry sophomore filly Shanghai Star who shone brightest by a nose, the 7-1 winner edging out 47-1 maiden American Starlight while taking a new mark of 1:53.1. In this back-and-forth event, Shanghai Star was the first leader and then the fifth and final leader, backing out from the rail and coming off American Starlight’s cover for trainer Mark Ford and All Star Racing Inc.

Shanghai Star was the fifth success story of the evening for driver Matt Kakaley, who continues to battle with George Napolitano Jr. at the top of the driver standings. Napolitano racked up five scores when Kakaley was at The Meadows on Saturday, and then Kakaley answered that punch with a five-spot of his own on Sunday. Only one of Kakaley’s five winners was favoured, and that one by less than $100 to win. Kakaley narrowed Napolitano's lead atop the standings to 169-166 for the meet.

There were four races on Sunday that were won by a nose, one by a head and another two by a neck. And there was only one horse leading at the three-quarters and going on to win -- that being Lindseys Pride in a $13,889 division of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Trot. Andrew Adamczyk drove the nine-year-old gelding by Credit Winner to the 5-1/2-length victory in 1:56 for trainer Dean Eckley and owner Kathleen Napolitano.

In the other AHDC division, Anthony Verruso secured a seat with Ghibli behind the tempo-setter and zipped up late in one of the card's close calls to a 20-1 upset in 1:57.1. Symon Spicer trains Ghibli, a six-year-old mare by E L Titan, for owner Michael Sherman Jr.

Racing continues at Pocono Downs on Monday, July 29 and Tuesday, July 30 cards each starting at 1 p.m.

(PHHA / Pocono Downs / AHDC)