The A Rocknroll Dance mare Reclamation–foaled in Pennsylvania out of a Swedish-owned mare, sold at Lexington, then starting her career in Ireland and Wales before racing at Harrah’s Philly and The Meadowlands–added another location to her already-stuffed itinerary, coming to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono for the Tuesday, May 21 card and promptly winning the $17,500 distaff pacing feature in 1:50.4.
Despite 25 days between races, driver Matt Kakaley had no problem moving Reclamation frontward after a :26.4 opener, reaching the half in :54 and the third quarter in 1:22.3. She then finished strongly to remain one-and-a-quarter lengths clear of another well-travelled mare: the New Zealand import American Express N.
Reclamation has a 5-4-1-0 record this year and a 19-11-6-1 lifetime tab, with her earnings of $72,405 for trainer Ron Burke and owners W J Donovan of Delray Beach FL and Donal Murphy of Baltimore, Ireland.
In a $15,000 trot, the Explosive Matter gelding Explosivebreakaway showed some of the talent of his full sister Phaetosive while easily winning in a lifetime-best 1:54.2. Driver Tom Jackson moved the winner uncovered off the second turn and passed the leader in the backside, drawing off with a :28.2 last quarter to be seven-lengths clear on the money. Fred Grant conditions the impressive sophomore, who has four wins and three seconds in seven lifetime starts, and he also co-owns him with Janice Rubin, Steve Katz, and Murray Brown.
The Credit Winner gelding Such An Angel came within a fifth of a second of the fastest local trotting mile of the year with a 1:52.1 victory, eight-and-a-half lengths in front and also within a fifth of her lifetime best. Such An Angel has now won two of his last three and has earned $295,308 for trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Sam Caruso Jr.
The only starter to be entered for an optional claiming price in the last race on the last day of the Pocono racing week, Rosy Outlook was claimed for $18,000, bringing the four-day race week’s total claiming investment to $419,250, a record for a week here this season. The total of 20 claims tied the weekly mark, now set in each of the last three weeks. For the year, 175 claims have resulted in $3,153,750 changing hands in the pursuit of winning racing stock.
(with files from PHHA/Pocono)