Anthony Napolitano drove seven winners on the Monday (Nov. 2) program at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, the best one-card figure put up by any driver during the 2026 season, which has but eight more days to go.
Among the seven-bagger recorded by Napolitano, second in the seasonal standings to 2025 Pocono champion Tyler Buter, was a victory by the noted Captaintreacherous mare Rodeo Drive Deo in the $38,194 distaff open handicap pace feature. After sitting fifth through fractions of :26.3 and :54.3 clicked off by favored Champagne Room (the winner’s Ron Burke stablemate), Napolitano got his mare flying in a hurry as she paced her own third quarter of :26.4 to get to just outside the pacesetter by the 1:22.2 three quarters.
Rodeo Drive Deo left her barnmate behind in the stretch, but she had to resist a final burst in the lane from Rocket Deo up the inside to secure the head victory in 1:50.1. The winner, who is owned by Mark Robinson of Dublin, OH, Steve Stewart of Paris, KY, and Harold Bauder of Delaware, OH, raised her career bankroll to $1,622,704.
Napolitano additionally racked up victories with Our Triple Major A ($13.20, 1:52.2) for trainer Marta Piotrow, Goldeen N ($7.40, 1:51.1) for trainer Jared Bako, Water Torpedo ($6.40, 1:54.1) for trainer Darren Taneyhill, and Kovu As ($9.60, 1:54) for trainer Lily Cimino. The reinsmen also scored a pair of victories for the Peter Pellegrino barn, winning with Bella Artiste ($2.40, 1:51.1) and Boogie On The Bar ($21.60, 1:54.4).
The inevitably of the mercury dropping is well-captured by the names of Winter Is Coming Series, with each gait having two $15,000 prelims before a $20,000 USD Championship on the Monday (trot) and Tuesday (pace) before the 2026 end of the season on Nov. 21. The trotters raced their first preliminary in two $20,833 divisions; successes were recorded by the aforementioned Kovu As and Eugenio RL IT ($10.20, 1:55) with driver Braxten Boyd aboard the Herbert Lux III trainee.
The $25,694 fast-class trot provided the stage for the International Moni gelding Scudo Hanover to post his fourth straight victory, here in 1:54.4, for trainer Robert Baggitt Jr., co-owner with Christine Baggitt Jr. of Bangor, PA and J L Sadowsky LLC of Bonita Springs, FL. As opposed to his last three victories, where Scudo Hanover used engine tactics, here driver Ridge Warren got the trotter a second-over trip, from which he won by a neck over Doc Nixon.
Two $15,500 USD trotting contests for developing prospects highlight Tuesday’s (Nov. 3) 1 p.m. Pocono card, along with a single division of prelim one of the Winter Is Coming Pacing Series and a carryover into the last race High 5 wagering pool.
(With files from the PHHA / Pocono Downs; Photo of Rodeo Drive Deo winning on Nov. 2)