After having enjoyed a well-deserved break from the track, 2010 O'Brien Award winner Won The West surfaced Thursday, April 21 during Pocono Downs' qualifying session. A four-pack of horses eligible to the Pepsi North America Cup were also in action
during the 14-race session.
With trainer Ron Burke driving in Race 1, Won The West lined up in Post 9 over the 'fast' track before showing his rivals what he is made of.
The seven-year-old Western Hanover gelding went straight to the top, cut all the fractions (:27.3, :56.3, 1:25.3) and kicked home with a :28.2 final quarter for a five and a half-length victory in 1:54.
Assessed at odds of 25-1 in Trot Magazine's 2011 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, the Jimmy Takter-trained Rocknroll Hanover colt Rollwithitharry made his seasonal charted debut in Race 9. With driver Marcus Johansson calling the shots, the ninth overall pick in Trot's Spring Book fought for the lead at the :28.2 opening quarter, and cut the middle fractions in :58.2 and 1:26.3 before firing home in :28.2 for a three and a quarter-length win in 1:55.
Takter and Johansson had turned the trick earlier in the session with another Cup-eligible that was making its seasonal charted debut: Dragon Again colt Prana (35-1 in Spring Book).
After starting from Post 3 in Race 7, Johansson and Prana took a pocket trip through fractions of :29.2, :58.2 and 1:27.4 before popping out and scooting out to a one and three-quarter-length win in 1:56.3.
The other two NA Cup eligibles which were in action during the session were the Erv Miller-trained and Matthew Cox-driven In Mint Condition (100-1 in Spring Book) who finished sixth and paced in 1:59.1, and the Frank Kamine-trained and driven Keystone Velocity (60-1 in Spring Book) who finished third and paced in 1:58.2.