The Andover Hall-Chocolatta De Vie gelding Choco Charlie, after three seconds and three thirds in his last six starts, found a great time to regain his winning ways, taking the $28,169 Winter Is Coming Trotting Series Final at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

George Napolitano Jr. moved the Jill Roland trainee outside uncovered nearing turn two to go after pacesetting favourite Tuis Angel (Braxten Boyd), a prelim winner who took command just past the quarter in :28 and led to the half in :58.3. Choco Charlie, who finished second and third in his series prelims, made a steady advance on the leader down the backstretch and went right up to the pacesetter just after the 1:27.1 three-quarters, with One After Nine (Jim Pantaleano), the only doubler in the series prelims, sitting well-placed in the two-hole.

Going around the final bend, however, One After Nine bobbled and bothered half the rest of the field, leaving the big battle to the first-over horse and the leader. Choco Charlie proved the stronger of the two in the drive to the wire, winning in 1:56.1 with his own back half in :57.1, excellent speed on the cold day. Tuis Angel finished second, followed by Doc Nixon (Ridge Warren).

Choco Charlie, owned by Bernard O’Brien, is now 30-for-196 lifetime. The nine-year-old paid $22.40 as a 10-1 chance. With the victory, George Napolitano Jr. tied with meet leader Tyler Buter on the 10-race card by notching three driving victories. 

Ready For Landing remained in flight after a long layoff, reigniting his dormant streak in the fifth-race $11,267 conditioned event with a long uncovered march, holding off Heytherbartender (Warren) by a neck for the 1:55.2 victory. Attis Rock (James Kennedy) was third. The winner, a Tactical Landing-K T Cha Cha gelding, won four straight in April for owner-trainer Mark Akins but was off for nearly seven months before returning for Tuesday's win, his fifth in a row. Simon Allard piloted the four-year-old, who paid $3.20 at the windows.

The $22,535 co-featured conditioned trot also went to a first-over horse on a day when the speed did not hold up well, as the Trixton-Tequila Sunrise As sophomore filly Tequila Talking As pulled away for Buter after a grinding challenge to stop the clock in 1:56.4. Las Vegas Journey (Anthony Napolitano) finished second, 2-3/4 lengths back, followed by Soncando (George Napolitano Jr.). Anette Lorentzon conditions the winner for ACL Stuteri Ab.

Saturday’s 1 p.m. card will be the final program of the season at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. In addition to excellent racing with up-and-coming horses in the featured spots, there will be a smorgasbord of excellent wagering opportunities. The moneymaking opportunities will start in the first race, where there will be a carryover into the day’s first Pick 4 wager.

Then, because it is the last card of the season, there can be no carryovers at day’s end, so the five bets that usually feature the carryover possibility are MUST-WIN bets on Saturday. They are the Pick 5 (Races 5-9), Pick 3 (Races 9-11), Pick 4 (Races 10-14), Superfecta (Race 13), and High 5 (Race 14).

(With files from PHHA/Pocono)