Greathallofchina, trained by veteran Donald Wiest and driven by Anthony Napolitano, made up a ton of ground to catch front-runner Spectacular Bay (Ray Schnittker) and go on to win the $32,000 Scranton Trot Friday, May 7 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
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The winning time of the mile was 1:54.4, just one tick from equaling the all-time track record for a three-year-old trotting filly.
The late closer final was for three-year-old filly trotters that were non-winners of $25,000 life or three extended pari-mutuel races life through March 15 of 2010.
“I always believed she could trot in 1:55 but I didn’t think she could go this fast,” said an elated Wiest. “She’s a gutsy, tough filly and probably the best I’ve ever been around.”
Greathallofchina, a three-year-old Cantab Hall filly out of China Victory by Valley Victory, is now a perfect five-for-five in 2010. Anthony Napolitano has been in the sulky with all of those victories at the Northeastern Pennsylvania five-eighths mile track.
Napolitano quickly left from the four hole with the winning trotter, taking the nine-horse field to the opening split in :27.3 before No. 2A Andovermetreasure (George Napolitano Jr.) got the short-lived lead and Schnittker and Spectacular Bay took charge. The latter trotter led at the half with the timer reading :55.2 and built up a huge double-digit lead over Greathallofchina.
Spectacular Bay got to the three-quarter pole in 1:23.3 with the lead getting shorter. The two trotters battled tooth and nail down the stretch before Greathallofchina got by with Spectacular Bay going on a break near the wire to survive an inquiry and finish second, a length and three-quarters back.
Third in the trot was Closeness (Jim Morrill Jr.), four lengths back.
(Pocono Downs)