Whiskey Pete continued his torrid tour of Eastern tracks with an impressive win in Saturday night’s featured Open Handicap Pace at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
. The race carried the night’s top purse of $25,000.
Whiskey Pete, who followed up wins in two out of three starts at the Meadowlands with a win in an Open Pace at Chester in his last race, shipped into Pocono as the 5-2 second choice. Leaving from post position No. 8 in a field of nine, the four-year-old gelding from the Nat Varty barn settled third in the early going. Driver Pat Berry sent him to the outside first-over around the clubhouse turn, and he wrested the lead away from 3-5 favourite Golden Receiver just past the five-eighths mark. He never relinquished the lead from there, finishing one and a half lengths in front of Golden Receiver in 1:50.3, the fastest time at Pocono so far this season. Presidential Order picked up the show.
With the win, Whiskey Pete, sired by Art Major, now has six victories in 13 tries this season along with four seconds and two thirds. It was his 13th career win, and his lifetime earnings surged over $291,000.
(With files from Pocono Downs)