Undaunted by some of the heavyweight pacers in the field, Europan Union parlayed a pocket trip into a thrilling victory in Saturday night’s featured Open Handicap Pace at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
. The race carried the night’s top purse of $30,000.
The field of seven in the race included Western Shore and Hypnotic Blue Chip, both with over seven figures in lifetime earnings, and Whiskey Pete, winner of back-to-back Opens at Chester and Pocono. Europan Union, trained by Erv Miller for Peter Pan Stable Inc. of Pepper Pike, Ohio, was coming off three straight wins of his own at Chester, although none were against Open competition.
Leaving from post position No. 6 as a 9-1 shot, Europan Union managed to settle in the pocket early behind pacesetter Western Shore, who set menacing fractions on the front end. Those two horses stayed one-two until the stretch, when driver Ron Pierce driver sent Europan Union to the outside, just getting by Western Shore to win by a neck in 1:50.4. Drop Red picked up the show.
Europan Union, a four-year-old gelding sired by No Pan Intended, now has four straight wins after starting the year zero-for-seven. It was his 10th career victory, and his lifetime earnings now stand at $290,240.
(Pocono Downs)