High Voltage Deo became the first horse at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania to break the 1:50 mark this year on Tuesday, May 7 afternoon, storming to a 1:49.3 decision in the $21,918 featured pace. The previous local mark had been the 1:50.2 of Tam Major A.
Driver George Napolitano Jr. made his intentions known with the Sweet Lou gelding early, stepping around Dontmesswithles past the eighth pole and speeding right down the road with fractions of :27, :55.2 and 1:22.1. No outside tier formed behind those withering numbers, and slight favourite Human Cocktail began to back off from third on the far turn, leaving the stretch battle to High Voltage Deo and Dontmesswithles, with the pocket-sitter battling gamely but coming up a half-length shy behind the pacesetter, who recorded a lifetime best.
High Voltage Deo came in from Canada on April 30 and promptly turned in a head victory in 1:52.4; this dynamic mile signals that better things may still be coming for the four-year-old trained by Amanda Fine, who is also co-owner with Marty Fine and Highland Thoroughbred Farm.
The $21,233 trot for top-level claiming handicap horses went to the Creatine mare Passionate Promise, who made the lead in front of the stands, then made her lead stand up to the wire against tough first-over rival Kinnder Promise, winning by a length while taking a new mark of 1:53.4. Driven By Matt Kakaley for trainer Travis Alexander and Rags To Riches Of PA LLC, Passionate Promise has six wins and two seconds in her last eight starts -- the defeats coming to Fight Song, Pocono’s fastest trotter of 2024 at 1:53.1.
Periculum has come back to North America after campaigning in Europe last season, and the son of Muscle Hill pulled from the pocket into the stretch and sailed by to win by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:54.2 for Team Melander, driver Mattias and trainer Marcus, and the partnership of Brixton Medical Inc. and Holly Lane Stud East LTD. Periculum won a division of his Bluegrass Stakes event at The Red Mile at both two and three, and now has earnings of $474,075.
Matt Kakaley and George Napolitano Jr., first and second in the current Pocono driver standings, maintained their pace as each brought home four winners on the card. Doubles in the training ranks went to Amanda Fine, Erv Miller and Jeff Cullipher, the last-named at the top of the meet lists at both Pocono and Philly.
Pocono now goes to its four-day-a-week main schedule, starting with Saturday’s 1 p.m. first post, when the “glamour boys” of the Pennsylvania-sired set, the three-year-old pacers, will square off in four $30,000 USD divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event. Among the All-Stars entrants are last year’s Breeders Crown winner Gem Quality, making his first start of 2024, along with two winners from each of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series contests held last Saturday at The Meadows.
There will also be a carryover into the Hi-5 wager on the last race of Saturday, May 11 card after Tuesday’s Hi-5 was cancelled due to a number of scratches. The remainder of the week’s schedule will find racing starting at 6 p.m. on Sunday and 1 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
(PHHA / Pocono)