Alvisi Hanover battled with Magic MVP through the length of the stretch before posting a neck victory in a career-best 1:54.1 when taking the $15,000 trotting feature on the Tuesday, June 11 card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
Driver George Napolitano Jr. had the altered son of Muscle Massive away from the gate well to sit a pocket trip behind Magic MVP, with the initial splits flashing :27.1 and :56.2. Magic MVP had opened a clear lead to the 1:24.3 three-quarters, but Alvisi Hanover had regained a tight spot behind the leader entering the stretch and, in a long duel, outfooted the leader to win the photo decision. O Jonnie stayed to the inside and gained third, another half length back.
Mark Ford is the owner and trainer of Alvisi Hanover, who paid $26.00 to win – a bigger price than one usually gets on Pocono’s leading driver Napolitano. George won five races on the card, while his brother Anthony came home first in three.
In the $14,000 co-featured pace for mares, the Roll With Joe mare Obvious Blue Chip, the odds-on choice, left her field in the red dust through the final quarter and stopped the timer in 1:51.3 under Matt Kakaley’s guidance. The winner of $490,154, who earlier had raced in the Blue Chip Series at Yonkers, obviously responded well to the drop in company for trainer Gareth Dowse and the ownership of NLG Racing Stable and Stephen Klunowski.
(with files from PHHA/Pocono)