After pushing the favourite past the quarter then surrendering the lead to sit the pocket, Absolute Power stayed with Staying With Emily as the rest of the field struggled, then moved in the lane and just caught the pacesetter while winning the $22,973 distaff pace for improving horses Tuesday (Oct. 8) afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania in 1:51.1.
Staying With Emily let other leavers settle then went on to command past a :27.1 opener and then put up splits of :55 and 1:22.4, with only the winner staying close. Anthony Napolitano moved the Sweet Lou mare Absolute Power outside in the lane and gradually worked past the leader, finishing a head ahead of Staying With Emily for Team Cancelliere, trainer Tom and owner/brother John.
There were three $20,270 events for horses who are a rung lower on the Pocono classification ladder. One division was reserved for male pacers and Team Cancelliere followed up on their feature victory with the Always B Miki gelding Stevens Saloon, a winner in 1:52.2. This sophomore also got a pocket trip, got clearance in the lane, then proved the strongest to the wire for driver Ridge Warren while coming within a fifth of his mark.
In the pace for females, the Bettors Wish filly, Lady Wishes, overcame a 26-day layoff, a stepup in class, and a ship from Running Aces in Minnesota to post a new lifetime mark of 1:52.4 while paying off at 26-1. Braxten Boyd kept the sophomore midpack behind contested fractions, then swung wide and rushed past horses involved in the early battle to tally for trainer Edwin Quevedo and owner Bryan Quevedo. Driver Boyd, currently fifth in the Pocono win standings, was the star sulkysitter of the day with five winners, all of them for different trainers.
The trotting section fell to the Greenshoe sophomore gelding Going Green, a 1:55.4 winner. Matt Kakaley patiently got the winner to the top just before the second turn and they had a relatively easy time of it from there with the Jenny Melander trainee, owned by Melander Racing, Clark Stables, and Noonan Harness Racing.
Racing resumes at The Downs on Saturday (Oct. 12) with a 1 p.m. card, one replete with features for fast trotters and pacers, whether fast-class or developing.
(PHHA / Pocono)