Scorpion Moon, driven by Jim Morrill, Jr., captured the $24,000 Open I Handicap Trot Tuesday at Pocono Downs
.
This marked the second straight victory at the Northeastern Pennsylvania in this condition, trotting the mile 1:54.1 over a sloppy race track.
Grain Of Truth led the field past the quarter pole in :27.2 with Scorpion Moon sitting third. It was shortly after the opening quarter Morrill, Jr. took to the outside. Scorpion Moon, who was sent off as the 4-5 favourite, supplied middle splits of :56.4 and 1:25.2 en route to his eighth win of the season in 16 attempts.
Grain Of Truth (Tom Jackson), who has finished no less than third in the last 10 starts at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, was three-quarters of a length back in second. Third prize went to Dennis (Mike Simons).
In the Open II Trot, Shibboleth Hanover and Mike Simons scored in 1:54.3. It was the third consecutive victory for the four-year-old son of SJs Caviar, who is trained by Clarence Martin, Jr.
Shibboleth Hanover won by 3-1/4 lengths over Ginger Tree Jimmy (Larry Stalbaum), with Khifra Hanover (Kevin Sizer) finishing third.
(Pocono Downs)