The Game Of Claims Pacing Series’ first preliminary round was again featured during the Sunday twilight program at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, on this card featuring horses with base tags of $7,500 and $10,000 in their respective competitions.
Once again, the claiming box was the subject of much attention, with 19 more horses changing hands on Sunday. This raised the total for the Saturday-Sunday cards to 60 horses moving to new homes, with the final amount paid out for competitive horses in the lucrative series rising to $1,001,500 during the two days.
And as happened Saturday, the lower level of the program’s competition produced the fastest mile in the Game Of Claims races. The Dali gelding Durant dominated his competition with a 1:54 triumph, making the lead in front of the stands for George Napolitano, Jr. (who led the drivers with three sulky successes) and winning by two lengths. Unfortunately for trainer Robert Lounsbury and owner Margaret Olmstead, Durant was the only winner from the six $7,500 purse events for his calibre who was claimed from Sunday’s racing.
Three out of the four winners in the $10,000 events for $10,000 base-tag pacers changed hands after their racetrack exertions. George Napolitano, Jr. drove one of these victorious horses, one who shared the quickest clocking at this level, 1:54.1 – the American Ideal gelding Myidealson N, who went out a winner for trainer Matias Ruiz and the Friendship Stables LLC. George also handled the one $10,000 success who did not change barns, the Somebeachsomewhere gelding P Drive Hanover, who also stopped the clock at 1:54.1 for trainer Gilbert Garcia-Herrera and owner Gilbert Garcia-Owen.
With everybody coming from other raceways for opening weekend and with many horses coming off of layoffs, only four favourites won on each card Saturday and Sunday, and the average win payoff for the weekend was $16.75.
(PHHA / Pocono)