Twin B Thriller and Ooglesaurus are both two-for-two in the Bobby Weiss Pacing Series after winning their $24,306 second-leg divisions for three-year-old males on Saturday, April 11 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
The Always B Miki-Twin B Captivating colt Twin B Thriller ($2.60) posted an eye-catching 1:49.4 clocking in his first Weiss prelim a week ago, and he doubled up in the series with a 1:51.3 jaunt on the back of a :55 back half on Saturday. A fellow product of Twinbrook Limited, Twin B Manhunt (Tyler Buter), rode in the pocket behind him and took second by 1-3/4 lengths. Southwind Galvestn (Anthony Napolitano) was third. The winner was driven by George Napolitano Jr. for trainer Dennis Laterza and owners Ginko Stable Inc. and Latz A Luck Stable.
The Lazarus N-Oogle Google gelding Ooglesaurus ($4.60) also repeated in the Weiss, making a second move out of the pocket while dashing home in :27.1 in a 1:52.2 mile to catch favoured Stingman (Dave Palone) by 1-1/4 lengths. Jumpin Jack Deo (Bradley Chisholm) completed the ticket. Brett Beckwith had the lines of the winner for trainer Joe Bongiorno and owner Morrison Racing Stables.
The Perfect Sting-Stephanie Deo gelding Thisbeestings Deo ($39) broke his maiden at 18-1 with a clocking of 1:51 in the fastest Weiss division. Matt Kakaley gave the Ron Burke trainee a nice third-in trip behind three sub-:28 quarters, then moved him out on the far turn, and the gelding had enough late kick to thwart Pocono Pike shooter Justinian (Tyler Buter) and pacesetter Vizcaya (Anibal Borjas) by a neck. The latter two were second and third, respectively. The winner is owned by Burke Racing Stable Inc., Lawrence Karr, Phil Collura, and Brad Grant.
Winning the other Weiss prelim, and taking a new mark of 1:52.1 in doing so, was the Stay Hungry-Sandy Absolut gelding Northern Attitude ($3.60). He benefitted from a pocket journey then had enough to turn back the fast-closing Hunthehuntr De Vie (Mark Herschberger) by a neck while pacing his own back half in :55.3. Sounds So Sweet (Bradley Chisholm) was third. Ridge Warren drove the winner for trainer Jake Leamon, who also co-owns the gelding with Winners Circle Racing LLC.
Caviart Camden ($3.20) extended his winning streak to five in an $18,750 conditioned contest, reigning on the front-end and turning away the first-over Shining Moment (Mark Herschberger) with a :26.4 final split to score by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:51. Soho Spectre A (Brett Beckwith) and Avanti (George Napolitano Jr.) took second and third, respectively. Caviart Camden, a seven-year-old Huntsville-Caviart Christa gelding, was piloted by Anthony Napolitano for trainer Darren Taneyhill and owner P T Stable.
In a $27,778 conditioned pace, Da Delightful showed he still has plenty of speed at age 10 as the Bettors Delight-Marnie Hall gelding raised his lifetime bankroll to $682,938 with a 1:50.4 tally. Da Delightful was flying late after racing second-over and caught pacesetter Jackson Cooper (George Napolitano Jr.) by a half-length for driver Braxten Boyd and trainer-owner Mark Silva. Federer (Dave Palone) was third.
“The BB Boys,” drivers Braxten Boyd and Brett Beckwith (the last two winners of the United States Harness Writers Association’s Rising Star Award), combined to take down half of the 14-race card. Boyd won four times, twice each for trainers Mark Silva and Tee Wine, while Beckwith’s trio included two for the meet’s top trainer, Per Engblom. Three drivers clad in red and white, the Napolitano brothers (Anthony and George Jr.) and Ridge Warren, each visited victory lane twice on the afternoon.
Pocono hosts racing next on Monday at 1 p.m. Each of the three first-round Weiss Series winners in the trotting male category will look to double up in the series.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono; photo of Twin B Thriller winning on April 11)