Points North, a veteran of the Woodbine Mohawk Park Preferred ranks, earned his 50th career victory as he won a lower-level conditioned pace at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
Away from post eight, he was overland throughout a :27 first panel for Anthony Napolitano to make the lead. Once there, the gelding led unopposed through :55.1 and 1:22.3 middle fractions, and pocket-sitter Skyway Ballistic (Simon Allard) came up empty in the stretch, leaving Points North to complete a 1-3/4-length victory in 1:51. Rhythm Of The Rein (Tyler Buter) was third. The winner paid $5.40.
Points North, a 10-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere-Northwest Hanover, tallied his 50th win in his 250th start and raised his earnings to $1,037,280. The gelding was a Kindergarten Series champion in 2017 and won numerous races at Mohawk, including two Preferreds. Frank Calcagni owns and trains the gelding.
The Bar Hopping-Bernis Hanover three-year-old filly Bay Breeze Hanover jogged in the $21,528 featured conditioned trot, overcoming a hard trip while posting a lifetime best of 1:54.3.
Favoured Bay Breeze Hanover looked to have her task simplified when the second and third choices, Craigieburn (Anthony Napolitano) and Rothko (Allard), both made early miscues. But two other rivals, Checkmate Hall (Donald Dupont) and Vanguard (James Kennedy), made life difficult for the filly in the first half, as Checkmate Hall kept Bay Breeze Hanover two-wide and Vanguard three-high well past a :27 opening quarter. The chalk finally cleared to the lead in front of the stands, with Checkmate Hall behind her and Vanguard left out in the air, and the latter retreated from the battle past a :55.4 half.
Ballroom Bash (Braxten Boyd) had stayed connected behind the early duel and moved outside towards a 1:25 three-quarters, but by that point Bay Breeze Hanover had started to leave the field far in her wake – the final win margin was 10 lengths over Ballroom Bash, who in turn finished three lengths of ahead of Checkmate Hall. The win price was $4.60.
Bay Breeze Hanover has now earned $142,900 despite this being her fourth career win in 28 starts, as she has consistently earned cheques in higher company. Michael Seddon, who became the winner’s new trainer in her previous start, joined with driver Tyler Buter and owner Nick Shaw in the success.
The parade of Pocono longshots continued on Tuesday, as Braxten Boyd brought home River Of Denile at a $65.60 mutuel, running the count of bombers to 10 in the last month.
Driving triples were recorded by Boyd, Buter, and Anthony Napolitano, who tripled for the second consecutive card. Two of the wins for Buter, the track’s leading driver, came for the meet’s leading trainer, Ron Burke.
Racing at Pocono resumes on Saturday at 1 p.m., with a $27,500 USD Winners Over Pace spotlighted. Monday at 1 p.m., there will be a total of $200,000 USD at stake in the eight Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes Championshipships. The racing week will then close out with a 1 p.m. program Tuesday.
(Standardbred Canada & PHHA/Pocono; photo of Points North winning on July 15, 2024)