The favourites did not live up to the tote evaluation of them in the Saturday (July 5) afternoon features at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, leaving the door open for two second choices and a third choice to step to impressive victories. 

There was a $22,973 contest on both gaits for horses nearing the high rungs of their developmental class ladder. In the pace, the Sweet Lou gelding Sweethomealabama N went around chalk Its Saturday Night approaching the first turn and laid down fractions of :26.3, :55.4 (against the wind), and 1:22.2. After shaking off a first-over challenger, the winner had to stave off a late rush by the chalk, but was equal to that task by a head while reducing his mark to 1:50.1. Anthony Napolitano, who steered three winners on a day when no other pilot had more than one, drove Sweethomealabama N for trainer Cory Stratton and owners VIP Internet Stable, Our Three Sons Stable, and Stratton Stable. 

In the trot, Kierkegaard K was the favourite, and he made a move after the :27.1 initial station to race on the engine and set middle fractions of :56.2 and 1:24.1. The Crazy Wow gelding Spending Crazy, at 7-1, sat in third to the far turn, then was moved to challenge by driver Ridge Warren and overhauled the crowd’s choice by a half length in 1:53.1, his fastest winning time. Todd Buter trains the winner for Mary Ellen Abbot, Lawrence Vincent, and Michael Card. 

A $22,297 fast-class pace saw the Always A Virgin gelding Virgo use his preferred frontending tactics to ring up numbers of :27, :55.1, and 1:22.1, then pace home strongly for a 1:49 conquest, with Belmont Royale N closing well to photo pocketsitting favorite Combustion for second. Virgo, who raised his lifetime tally to $608,314, was driven by Simon Allard for trainer Darren Taneyhill and owners Mark Jakubik and Jason Darling. 

Next up at Pocono will be Sunday (July 6) twilight racing at 6 p.m., with a carryover into the first race Pick 4 and a double carryover into the fifth race Pick 5. On the Monday (July 7) and Tuesday (July 8) 1 p.m. cards, there will be Pennsylvania All-Stars events for two-year-olds, with pacing colts featured Monday and trotting fillies on Tuesday.

(PHHA / Pocono)