Normally the spotlight for Saturday's card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono would fall on trainer Darren Taneyhill, who posted four victories during the matinee performance to move into third place in the conditioners standings, but George Napolitano Jr. and his brother Anthony, 1-2 atop the Pocono standings, were at it again Saturday.
Nine-time winners between them this past Monday, they bettered themselves here with 10 victories, including the first three and then seven of the last eight. Each reported home first five times on the day, including twice each with Taneyhill trainees. Anthony Napolitano now has 10 winners over the last three cards at Pocono; George has 22 victories during the last five performances at the mountain oval, and 34 wins in eastern Pennsylvania from last Saturday onward, including his Harrah’s Philly wins.
The ten-year-old gelding Lachie Maguire N turned a fast profit for owner Robert Weinstein, who claimed him for $30,000 out of the top claiming handicap pace at Pocono last Saturday. This week the veteran came on to win the $16,000 claiming feature in 1:51, and was taken for a $32,000 price – a $10,000 profit ($8,000 purse + $2,000 hike in price) minus expenses for a week of ownership.
Lachie Maguire N “paced back to his breeding” -- his sire is Bettors Delight, and he was the crowd favourite, and his dam’s sire is In The Pocket, which is where he raced as Daamericansky cut out fractions of :26.3, :55.2, and 1:23.1. Driver Jim Marohn Jr., handling the horse for trainer Jennifer Bongiorno, sent the winner of $471,637 up the Pocono Pike and got him past Daamericansky, who had to settle for second for the third straight week, by three-quarters of a length.
There were a pair of $14,000 co-features for the fast-class set, one on each gait. The trotters were up first, and they were led home by the Explosive Matter gelding Explosivebreakaway in a 1:54.2 mile. The even-money favourite despite 30 days away from the races, Explosivebreakway had to come first-up against pacesetting My Lindy Winner, who got fairly soft fractions. Nonetheless, in a :27.4 last quarter it was the first-over who emerged with a 1-1/4 length victory over late-charging Goes Down Smooth, with My Lindy Winner holding on for third. Tom Jackson drove the winner for trainer Fred Grant, who is also co-owner with Janice Rubin, Steve Katz, and Murray Brown.
Joesstar Of Mia A also found being first-over not an insurmountable obstacle, getting home first in 1:50.3 in the pacing co-feature. Rock The Devil moved to the lead in front of the stands and set the pace, opening a large advantage that he carried to midstretch, but Joesstar Of Mia A never said never and caught the tiring leader by a neck. Anthony Napolitano rallied the Roll With Joe gelding for trainer Steven Brabrook and owners Jonathan Lapp Jr. and Wish Me Luck Stables LLC.
(PHHA / Pocono)