Major Uptrend has now won four times in a row, and is a nose away from having won eight straight, after he made the 181-mile ship from Dover to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono a profitable one Saturday night (April 22), taking the $25,000 Winners Over Pace in 1:50.
Trainer Tim Crissman acquired this horse to condition in early February after a purchase and quickly found his key to success, which mostly has been to go to the front and improve on that position – during his almost-eight-race winning streak (he lost a nose to Limelight Beach at Dover on March 16) he’s led at every call past the quarter except in that nose defeat. Driver Tony Morgan, who is now six-for-six teaming with Crissman behind the royally-bred winner (Somebeachsomewhere out of $1 million winner Tricky Tooshie), rushed the favourite towards the lead after the quarter but was kept out by (ironically) Limelight Beach, who forced "the Major" to the half in :53.2.
But from there, Major Uptrend was in command, winning by one and a quarter lengths over Orillia Joe, who had set the Pocono seasonal standard of 1:49.4 from the pocket in this event last week, but had to come first-over here and settle for the deuce. The gelding, who went over $350,000 in career earnings with the victory, has shown a "major uptrend" in his form to the degree that Crissman Inc., in which Tim is part-owner, purchased the horse in combination with Niss Allen Inc. on March 26, and that ownership team has gone three-for-three with the sharp pacer.
Top trotting event of the night was a $16,500 conditioned contest, which saw the Crazed gelding Crazshana brought back to the races nicely by trainer Jeff Bamond Jr., having to go first-over and trot his last half in :56.3 in his 2017 debut, yet still having enough to defeat pacesetting ABC Muscles Boy by one and a half lengths in 1:55.1 for driver Eric Goodell. Crazshana also broke an earnings plateau with his win, eclipsing the $250,000 lifetime bankroll mark for Bamond Racing LLC.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)