McKenry, coming back to his home base of The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono after an unsuccessful stint "in the big city" at Yonkers, was a "pocket rocket" in taking the $30,000 Pennsylvania-sired three-year-old pacing feature on Saturday.
Driver Anthony Napolitano had the 8-1 shot on top early, but then yielded to brother George and favoured UF Larry Alltheway to sit behind them the pocket. McKenry came on to challenge the leader in the lane and went by, by one and a half lengths, in 1:51.1, taking a new lifetime mark despite the 50-degree temperature. UF Larry Alltheway lasted for a dead-heat for second with another late charger, Tomy Terror.
McKenry, an altered son of McArdle, took his fifth win of the campaign and boosted his seasonal earnings to $61,900 for trainer Chris Oakes and owners Susan Oakes, Conrad Zurich, and the Wheelhouse Racing Stable.
ABC Muscles Boy made it three straight at The Downs for Team Allard as he took the $24,000 feature trot, moving to the lead after the quarter and winning by three and three-quarter lengths in 1:52.3, equalling his lifetime mark taken just last week.
Purchased by Allard Racing Inc. before this month's racing, ABC Muscles Boy was not successful from post eight at Yonkers in his Lasix debut, but since then it's been nothing but visits to Victory Lane for the "Muscles Boy," driver Simon Allard and brother/trainer Rene.
(PHHA / Pocono)