Under patient handling from Anthony Napolitano, the Bettors Delight mare Betabcool N rallied off of a fast pace to win the $14,000 featured pace for mares in 1:52.3 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Tuesday, March 19.
Betabcool N raced stuck at the rail behind an early-moving flow as fractions of :27, :55.3 and 1:22.4 were posted. Vorst, who posted most of the fractions, retained the lead into the lane, but Always A Z Tam swung wide off cover midturn while Napolitano and Betabcool N followed that one wide.
In deep stretch the New Zealand import had the most late kick, winning by a neck over Always A Z Tam, who nosed Vorst for second.
Jose Godinez, who teamed with Anthony Nap for another come-from-behind victory with the trotter Crazycat earlier in the card, conditions the winner of $460,062 for the Blindswitch Racing Stable.
Some younger horses looking to make their mark in the upcoming Weiss Series at Pocono showed themselves ready by winning on the Tuesday card. Sophomore-filly Spring In Paris topped the young trotters with a 1:56.4 victory that was not only a lifetime mark but a North American season’s record. She brushed first over to take the lead on the far turn, then drew clear by four lengths for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Steve LeBlanc and the ownership of Leblanc Racing Inc., Glenn Dyke and Douglas Johnson
The Muscle Massive gelding Teardown This Wall posted his maiden victory and improved his Weiss outlook, rallying from the pocket for a half-length tally in 1:59 over pacesetting-favourite Dawn Of Glory. Tyler Buter handled the Muscle Massive gelding out of the $540,000 stakes-winning mare Vernon Blue Chip for trainer Rob Harmon and the Harmon Stable Racing Stable.
Harmon also sent the upward-bound trotter My Lindy Winner, who took a new mark of 1:55.1 to remain undefeated in two seasonal starts.
Turbo Hill, a four-year-old son of American Ideal, won his fifth race from six starts with a 1:51.1 on-the-front victory for trainer/driver Hunter Oakes and owner Tom Hill, certainly stamping himself as a big consideration in his Weiss division.
A Weiss-prospective filly counterpart, the four-year-old Sportswriter mare Lady Ella, came into her Tuesday race not having won since her career debut, 636 days ago, but she looked strong in a 1:54 score for trainer Andrew Harris, giving driver George Napolitano Jr. his sixth victory on the twilight card.
(with files from the PHHA)