On Tuesday (Oct. 27) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Crossfit took the chance to show off his fitness level.
Crossfit's foes tried battling his tempo multiple times during the track's featured $11,200 claiming handicap trot, but the four-year-old Donato Hanover gelding turned back all challengers in a career-best-equalling 1:54.2.
The victorious favourite went to the lead around Cash For Gold just past the :28 quarter, then got no respite. Pilgrims Tide moved early and pressured Crossfit, which forced middle-half fractions of :56.2 and 1:25. When the parked horse faded, Cash For Gold came back out of the pocket, but could get no closer than one and one-half lengths at the wire.
Tyler Buter drove the winner, who is trained by Susan Marshall, who co-owns along with John Marshall. Crossfit has now won two consecutive races and four of his last seven outings. Of those four victories, three were clocked in his current lifetime best, 1:54.2 (he took the mark last season as a three-year-old).
George Napolitano Jr. guided six winners during the Tuesday afternoon card. With five cards left in the 2020 racing season, 'George Nap' has the lead among winningest drivers, 194-144, and has all but mathematically captured his ninth consecutive Pocono crown, and his 14th overall dating back to 2003. Napolitano also figures to take home the track’s UDR title, unless Dexter Dunn, David Miller, or Jim Morrill Jr. would come in and one would win about 20 races in the last five nights. The percentage title would give Napolitano seven in a row and 12 dating back to 2001. Napolitano was also the track’s winningest trainer in five of six years between 2001 and 2006.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono)