In the richest race of the young season at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, the $50,000 Bobby Weiss Series Championship for three-year-old pacing colts, second choice I Was Tricked downed the previously-unbeaten All Class and held off a pair of longshots in a lifetime best performance.
Braxten Boyd, as hot as any driver at Pocono recently and up to fifth in the local win standings, shot the Huntsville gelding I Was Tricked Away from away from the gate, making the lead in a :26.2 opening quarter. He then sat content behind the brushing favourite All Class, who took over going under the wire the first time and put up middle splits of :54.3 and 1:22.2.
The hard usage, stiff fractions and backstretch headwind took their toll on All Class in the stretch. I Was Tricked was able to pace by the pacesetter fairly easily to win in 1:50.4, with second-over Nopewasntme ducking inside the winner to grab second at 70-1, three-quarters of a length back. Joemikiyoursofine came up the inside at 50-1 for third, and All Class had to settle for fourth.
Unraced at two, I Was Tricked won his last two Weiss preliminaries and now is four-for-six lifetime for trainer Nicholas Devita and the ownership of Devita Racing Stable, David Hamm, Christopher Giaccio and Glenn Phillips.
The Stay Hungry gelding Hunters Hero picked an opportune time to break his maiden while winning the $20,000 Weiss Consolation, sitting a fine two-hole trip then rallying along the inside to hold off Simply Fast by a neck in 1:52.3. Matt Kakaley drove the Travis Alexander trainee for Fiddler’s Creek Stables Inc.
There were a pair of $18,500 fast-class features, one on each gait. In the pace, Seriously Hanover was able to make the lead without running into his breaking bugaboo, and he went on to hold off a good bid from pocket-sitter Sport Secret to win in 1:51, half a length ahead. The gelded son of Western Ideal, another Kakaley/Alexander production, is owned by Michael Cimaglio, Stephen Demeter and Stephen Giagni.
On the trot, the Explosive Matter gelding Rich And Miserable returned to the scene of many of his 46 career victories; this one was one of the closest, as after setting most of the pace he was extended to defeat Miss McKee by a head in 1:55. Tyler Buter had his usual perch behind the winner of $759,619, who is trained by Todd Buter and is owned by Buter Farm Inc. and Lynette Buter.
Park Official recorded his eighth straight victory in the $16,500 claiming handicap pace for top-drawer selling horses. Anthony Napolitano came from off the pace with the Art Official gelding and he was pacing well late to defeat Elwell by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:53. The winner of the Game Of Claims Series highest-level championship, Park Official was claimed for $30,000 by trainer Marta Piotrow and owner Debbie Avery just before that final, and they have been rewarded with five victories and earnings of $53,000 since March 18.
The Sunday 6 p.m. card will feature the $50,000 championship of the Weiss Series for three-year-old trotting males. Bestfriend Hanover, undefeated in two Weiss preliminaries, is the early favourite to get the job done in this Weiss finale. Program pages for all Pocono races will be available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Pocono)