More than three years on from taking his five-eighths-mile world-record mark of 1:46.3, nine-year-old Ruthless Hanover is still posting fast miles against a high level of competition, as he did in the $39,286 Winners Over Pace at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Driver George Napolitano Jr., who drove the altered son of Somebeachsomewhere-Rockaroundthetrack in his record mile in 2023 at Harrah's Philadelphia, also had the seat behind him on Saturday. He was outside just past a :25.4 quarter to wrest the lead from the sharp Splash Brother (Braxten Boyd), who had a 6-4-2-0 record in recent starts. Always A Thrill (Matt Kakaley), favoured after a 1:48.2 win at Pocono last week, started the uncovered chase just past a :53.1 half and battled outside the winner the rest of the way – they were separated by a neck at the 1:20.2 three-quarters and still squabbling into the stretch. It was only near the end that Ruthless Hanover could truly shake off the pesky challenger, and even then the final margin was only a neck as he won in 1:48.3. Jolimont N (Tyler Buter) finished third.
Team Cancelliere – trainer Tom Cancelliere and owner John – saw their horse win for the 33rd time in 93 career starts (five-for-11 this year), with a lifetime bankroll of $1,246,029. Ruthless Hanover's win payout was $6.40.
There were two $26,429 divisions of the sub-featured conditioned fast-class pace. The Lazarus N-Olivette gelding Endofstory ($3.20), taking advantage of class relief after a third at the top level last time, was the faster winner in 1:49.3 with George Napolitano Jr. again in the sulky, here for trainer Doug Dilloian Jr. and owners David Linker, Brian Loman, Robert Venable and Kyle Warren. The five-year-old made the lead past a :26.4 first quarter and continued on with splits of :55.1 and 1:21.2 in defeating Stag Party (Anthony Napolitano) by a length. Play Action Pass (Tyler Buter) was third.
The other winner in this class was stepping up from high-priced claimers, but the Alta Christiano-Child From The Sea gelding Alta Blues A ($10.80) got closer as the mile got longer. After racing fourth through :26.2, :55.1 and 1:22.3 fractions, the 10-year-old had sufficient rally to defeat up-the-rail Up The Creek (Braxten Boyd) by a neck in 1:50.4. American Son (Patrick Ryder) was third. Anthony Napolitano had the sulky duty behind Alta Blues A for trainer Marta Piotrow and owner Melvin Fink.
There was also a $25,000 conditioned trot for horses looking to move up the class ladder. It was taken by the Bar Hopping-Im Volo gelding Onemore Volo ($2.40) in 1:54.2. Parked to three-eighths before getting the top for Tyler Buter, Onemore Volo then had to be good to ward off potential pocket rocket Captain Vodka (Ridge Warren) by half a length for trainer John Butenschoen, who shares ownership with Andray Farm and David J. Miller. Kovu As (Anthony Napolitano) was third.
Anthony and George Napolitano combined to win half of Pocono’s 14 races, with George having one more than his brother. Doubles were posted by driver Braxten Boyd and trainer Pete Pellegrino.
Trotters will take the spotlight for the next two cards at Pocono, both starting at 1 p.m. Monday will have the top overnight diamondgaiters on display, while on Tuesday the John Simpson Sr. stakes series returns with the Super Bowl in three $30,000 USD divisions of two-year-old males.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)