Dan Carter, piloted by Tim Tetrick, came first over early on in the $45,000 finals of the Mohegan Pace to seize the lead and never look back in winning rather easily Saturday afternoon at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
. The winning time for the race favourite was 1:50.3, a new lifetime mark.
The gelded son of I Am A Fool is now a perfect four for four in 2009, sweeping the late closing series for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings that were non-winners of $25,000 lifetime or three pari-mutuel races lifetime through March 15 of 2009.
“He’s a very smart horse,” said Tetrick in the winner’s circle before heading down to the Meadowlands. “The connections did a great job of teaching him. Depending upon how he comes out of this race he’s scheduled to be in the Hempt elimination races.”
Max C. Hempt elimination races are set for Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Saturday afternoon, May 16, with the $300,000 finals the week following.
Ron Burke trains Dan Carter, who won his previous two legs with identical 1:52 times.
No. 4 Majestic Jackpot, driven by Tom Jackson, battled early on with No. 1 Riding The Rapids (Jim Morrill Jr.) and Whoyoucallingafool (Jordan Stratton) for the top spot with Majestic Jackpot grabbing the lead. Opening split went in :26.3 and half way down the front stretch Tetrick tipped out to go after the leader and became the new leader at the half with the timer reading :54.2.
Dan Carter took the eight-horse field to the three-quarter mark in 1:22.2 before pulling away from the remainder of the field. Majestic Jackpot was second with third going to Riding The Rapids.
Panplona (Jason Bartlett), another favorite in the race, broke early on and never could recover.
The winner of the Mohegan Pace paid $3.00, $2.20 and $2.10.
Billings Action At Pocono
For the second consecutive year Terry “The Dairy Queen” Donnelly reined a winner on the opening card of the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driving Series. Last year at Monticello Raceway Donnelly won on the Billings inaugural program and again this season, at Mohegan Sun Pocono Downs on May 2, she was victorious on the series opening card. Both years “The Dairy Queen” reined Jay A Novak to victory.
Joining Donnelly with a winners circle presentation that afternoon was Peter “The President" Gerry who scored a triumph in the other Billings “wild card” split at the Downs.
Both races were non-wagering events prior to the betting card that day.
Donnelly’s victory behind her veteran trotter was timed in 2:00:4 when she hustled Jay A Novak by the pace-setter San Siro Lane, driven by “Joltin’ Joe” Pennacchio, in the deep stretch and then held off a late charge by Double Strength and driver Dave “Yes It’s True” Offenberg for a nose victory.
For Jay A Novak it was his second seasonal victory.
It was also the second seasonal triumph for Gerry’s winning trotter, Enjoy My Win, which certainly was what “The President” did.
After leaving from Post 6 Gerry sent Enjoy My Win to the front and made every pole a winning one en route to a 2:01:1 triumph. Though Eric “The Driving Fireman” Taddeo stalked Gerry the entire mile with Highmaker, Taddeo’s trotter just couldn’t make up any ground in the lane and finished second 1-1/2 lengths behind the winner. Last seasons Billings over-all point champion, Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford, finished third with Pierre Lavec after making a break at the start and spotting the field some 15 lengths.
Billings action continues with another “wild card” at Monticello Raceway on Monday afternoon, May 11.
(Pocono Downs)