Dandy Ideal, a freshman American Ideal gelding out of OK Heavenly, won in “non-winners of two” company during the Monday afternoon, Sept. 30 card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania with his final time of 1:51.1 only three-fifths of a second off the Pocono track record for his division, the 1:50.3 set by Yankee Bounty 10 years ago.

Dandy Ideal, driven by Matt Kakaley in the $18,919 pace for trainer Jenny Melander and owner Exceed Stables, was wide early then spotted third before a :27 quarter, brushed to the lead in front of the stands and put up mid-splits of :56 and 1:23.2, then closed out strongly in the speedy mile. Surprisingly, the 1:51.1 was not a mark for Dandy Ideal – he broke his maiden winning a New York Excelsior race at Vernon Downs in 1:50.4.

Another very fast mile came in a second-level conditioned pace, with the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Ideal Beach sticking close in the two-hole behind scorching fractions of :26.4, :54.4 and 1:22.4 put up by favoured Pyrenees Hanover, then moving out for the drive and catching that foe by a length while taking a mark of 1:50.1. Ridge Warren guided the winner for trainer Bill MacKenzie and owners Alma Iafelice and Vincent Ali Jr.

Matt Kakaley and George Napolitano Jr., who between them have won the last 14 Pocono driving win championships (Napolitano 11, Kakaley three including the last two), continue to be 1-2 atop the 2024 standings, and each captured a division of the $20,270 trotting class. Kakaley made it two in a row in the faster split when the Cantab Hall three-year-old gelding Breezy Hall won in 1:54.4 for trainer Philip Scott Sonsteby and the partnership of Bay Pond Racing Stable and Philip Scott Racing Stable, while Napolitano parlayed a perfect second-over trip with Sir Hiss, a sophomore altered son of Muscle Hill, into a 1:56 victory for trainer Neal Ehrhart and owner Jaypaul Hoover. For the day, Napolitano had four wins, Kakaley three.

The racing week closes out at Pocono with a 1 p.m. program on Tuesday; there will be four $15,000 USD features, two on each gait.

(PHHA / Pocono)