Drivers Anthony Napolitano and Matt Kakaley, the two-time defending dash-winning champion at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, continued to show a winning touch in the second preliminary round of Monday (March 11) afternoon’s all-Game Of Claims card. Both drivers got home first four times on the pacing-only program, two times each in both the seven $13,514 contests with a $23,649 base tag and the $10,135 events for horses valued today at $12,162, also with seven sections.
Three horses became winners in consecutive weeks in the higher-priced action, with the Nob Hill High gelding Nob Hill Flash overcoming a brutal trip to win for “Anthony Nap” in 1:54.1 as the only doubler in this division who was taken from the claiming box on Monday. Also successful for the second straight start were the Sweet Lou gelding Ithaca Hanover, who surmounted post eight for Kakaley in 1:55, and Johnny Chip (Jim Pantaleano, 1:54.4), who followed up on a $40.20 win last week with a $22 upset.
The Early Double provided the fastest miles on the raw, wind-whipped day, courtesy of Play Jet Ray (Kakaley) in 1:53.3 and Saulsbrook Raptor (A. Napolitano) in 1:53.4, both of whom changed hands for the second straight start. Also successful at this level were Fox Valley Ren, (Braxten Boyd, 1:55), who went to a new stable, and Never Say Never N (Ridge Warren, and the second win in this company on Monday for trainer Darren Taneyhill), who was home first in 1:55.2 then went right back to his own stall.
Besides Taneyhill, trainer Jacob Fox sent out a pair of winners on the Monday program, both in the other Game Of Claims Series with the only pacers to double up in their series: the Rock N Roll Hanover gelding Rock King Don (Kakaley, 1:56.3 as the only winner at this level who was claimed) and the Charms Shark gelding Charlies Dragon (Ridge Warren, 1:58.1). Kakaley’s other victory in this group came with Blueberry Heaven in 1:56.3; Anthony Napolitano’s two success stories in this company were McNulty Z Tam (1:57) and Gemini Express (1:55.4).
Fastest of all in his group was Hashtag Money, who stopped the clock in 1:55.3 for Simon Allard. The other winner was Onlythetuffsurvive, aptly-named while coming home first in 1:57.2 for George Napolitano Jr.
In all, 18 horses were claimed Monday, with $286,487 changing hands. In four days of Game Of Claims action, there have been 72 purchases totalling $1,696,115, and with owners this coming week getting their last chance to take a sharp horse in anticipation of these levels’ Game Of Claims Championships (cumulatively worth $94,595) on March 23-25, the claiming box may be sought out with even greater anticipation.
All the popular Game Of Claims racing meant that Pocono scheduled a 15-race card for Tuesday, March 12 at 1 p.m. to give the overnight horses a bit of a better chance to race; three $20,270 races for developing stock will be featured
(PHHA / Pocono)