Normally the Weiss Series for sophomore trotting males would be the Sunday evening (April 9) feature during April at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, but that series was rerouted to Saturday night this week to honour the wishes of horsepeople who did not want to race on Easter.
The Sunday feature race was still for up-and-coming trotters, but it was for overnight horses who have a bit more on their resumes, and the purse was $17,000. Having the most on his recent resume is the Walner gelding TNT Blue Chip, who trotted to his fourth straight win, here in 1:53.4. Anthony Napolitano moved near the :28 quarter, reached the lead and put up fractions of :57.2 and 1:26, then blitzed home in :27.4 to be 1-3/4 lengths better than a good Frank The Elder for trainer Bruce Clarke, co-owner with Patricia Waldeck.
Sombodyitreasure won off the claim for trainer Bryson Dunning and owner Mark Labbree, taking the $16,500 pace for the highest-priced claimers on the ground in 1:51.2. Simon Allard reserved the gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere just off a contested pace, rushed to the lead just by the three-quarters and left his nearest foe, Puzzling, five lengths behind.
The meet’s leading driver, Matt Kakaley, visited the winner's circle five times on Sunday, twice with a horse trained by the meet’s leading conditioner Darren Taneyhill.
The Weiss Series resumes Monday afternoon (April 10) at 1 p.m. (EDT) with five $20,000 divisions of the first prelim for three-year-old pacing fillies; there will also be five $9,000 divisions of the second preliminary of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series for horses who will carry a base tag of $12,500 on Monday.
(PHHA / Pocono)