Homicide Hunter, who is the fastest trotter in the history of harness racing, returned on Wednesday (April 24) for the first time since his lucrative victory in last fall’s Breeders Crown.
The seven-year-old son of Mr Cantab surfaced during the Wednesday qualifying session at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and competed in Race 3, which was contested over a ‘fast’ track.
The career earner of $1.72-million in career purses headed behind the gate for pilot Matt Kakaley and lined up in Post 5.
Homicide Hunter was the quickest off the wings and led his six foes down to the quarter pole in a leisurely :29.1. The bay gelding got another soft quarter in the second panel, as he led the way down to the half-mile marker in :58.1.
Kakaley asked the Chris Oakes trainee for a bit more ‘go’ in the third quarter, and Homicide Hunter responded by trotting down to the 1:26.4 three-quarters station via a :28.3 panel.
The career winner of 39 of 78 starts had been leading by four and a half lengths at the three-quarters call, but he went on to open up more daylight through the stretch, as he trotted home in :28.2 to notch the convincing win in 1:55.1. Homicide Hunter’s margin of victory was 10 and a quarter lengths.
Homicide Hunter etched his name in the record books as the sport’s fastest trotter last October in Lexington, Ky., as he smoked to a scintillating 1:48.4 win in the Allerage at the Red Mile. He is owned by Crawford Farms Racing of Syracuse, N.Y.
Three-year-old pacers that are eligible to Woodbine Mohawk Park’s $1 million Pepsi North America Cup were also in qualifying action Wednesday at Pocono and were led by the Oakes-trained Shake That House.
Shake That House, who is a colt by American Ideal, lined up in Post 2 for Race 5 and had pilot Tyler Buter in tow.
Shake That House got away third and sat in the three hole as the fractions were cut in :27.2, :57.2 and 1:25.1 over the ‘fast’ track. Buter called on his charge in the lane and the duo was able to get up for a head win in 1:53.1 via a :27.3 final quarter.
The Wednesday performance was Shake That House’s second charted line of the year. He won three of his eight freshman starts last season and took his mark in a sharp 1:50.2 over Pocono in a conditioned dash.
Shake That House is owned by Crawford Farms Racing and Alan Johnston (each of Syracuse, N.Y.) and the Northfork Racing Stable (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.).
Shake That House was assessed as a 35-1 to win the Pepsi North America Cup in Trot Magazine’s 2019 NA Cup Spring Book.
To check out Trot’s 2019 NA Cup Spring Book odds, click here.
Shake That House, pictured in 2018 while taking his freshman mark of 1:50.2 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.