The Bettors Delight gelding Billy Lincoln N ended Scootnroll’s streak of seven wins as the Kiwi import held safe his rival by a neck in 1:52.2 while taking one of four divisions of a $12,000 class at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono during the Sunday (Oct. 4) card.
Billy Lincoln N was three-wide through most of a :27.2 opener to get the lead, but then driver Marcus Miller backed the half to :57.2. The speed would soon sharpen as Scootnroll came up uncovered to challenge, with Billy Lincoln N maintaining his lead by the 1:25.2 three-quarters and opening a little daylight late on the turn. But Scootnroll was far from finished and actually came back in a :27.2 final quarter, though his effort was not quite enough to catch Billy Lincoln N for trainer Tahnee Camilleri and the ownership of David Kryway and 1362313 Ontario LTD.
In the other division of the quad features reserved for pacing males, the A Rocknroll Dance gelding Ben Rockin came up the Pocono Pike to catch pacesetting favourite Warrawee Veloce in 1:53.1, a lifetime best, for trainer Bill “Moon” Mullin and owner Robert John Becker. The fans had a better handle on the ability of 5-1 shot Ben Rockin for this card than for his other win of the year, on Opening Weekend, where he returned $171.40.
Ben Rockin was handled by Anthony Napolitano, who won five races for the second straight card at The Downs.
In the pacing distaff section of the headliners, the Art Major sophomore filly Galleria Gal used sweeping tactics behind a fast pace and earned a new speed badge of 1:52.2. Tyler Buter drove the winner for trainer John Berger and owners Theresa Donnelly and Fernando Arnesti Jr. who saw their filly finally win in 2020 after amassing $114,824 while clashing with tough New York-sired stock.
Finally, the trotting feature saw the Andover Hall gelding Pembroke Yoyo get a giant early lead after the other major leaver made a break, then hold together to withstand the late moves of favourites Celebrity Miracle and Kyrie Deo in 1:55.4. Pembroke Yoyo had won his last start, but that had been 25 days ago; he showed no apparent rust here for driver Hunter Oakes, trainer Scott Betts, and owner Nicholas Catalano.
(PHHA/Pocono)