Chapolier, a trotting gelding by Chapter Seven, continued a streak rarely seen in Standardbred racing – he won his 11th race in a row, tops among all North American trotters this year and all of the wins at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, by taking the $22,222 claiming handicap trot feature in 1:53.3 on Tuesday, May 20.
Chapolier has had an outer post in most of his wins, now being entered for the track’s highest claiming price for trotters of $41,667, and he has devised several trips from which he could retain his streak. Tyler Buter took him through one of the harder ones – tuck early, then go first-over, but Chapolier went frontward after early numbers of :27.1 and :56, had reached the leader by the 1:24.3 three-quarters, then trotted right on by late on the turn and drew away easily – his 4-3/4-length margin was the biggest in the streak of eleven.
And, of course, Chapolier was claimed again – the ninth time he has gone to a new home during this streak. Trainer Hunter Oakes and owner P T Stable thus have an empty stall, but they have done all right by the horse, being his sponsorship in four wins during the streak, earning $45,245 in purses with him. One of the few players in the high-price claiming wars at Pocono not previously associated with Chapolier, Lous Auto, has the new ownership of the horse, who has made $121,306 during this string.
In the $20,833 claiming handicap trotting class just below the top one, the Explosive Matter mare Beach Dreamzzz won a three-way photo in 1:55.2. Beach Dreamzzz retucked in the pocket down the backstretch, came out in the stretch then held off Lucky Sevens, who tailed her all the way, by a nose, with pacesetting Shinkansen just a head away from taking it all. Braxten Boyd drove the winner for trainer Tee Wine and Wine Stable.
Tyler Buter continued in his own raging form on Tuesday, with five visits to Victory Lane: three for Hunter Oakes and two for Travis Alexander. Well ahead in the local standings, Buter has posted 41 victories in the first 12 days of May racing at Pocono.
Pocono is currently racing on a schedule of Saturdays, Mondays and Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. The highlight of the coming week’s racing is Monday’s Pennsylvania All-Stars event for three-year-old trotting fillies.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)