Beyond The Lens really didn’t want favoured Luisella to go by him at any point in the $15,000 featured trot on Monday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, and the Angus Hall gelding found just enough to hold off the favourite to the finish while taking a new mark of 1:55.
Beyond The Lens went to the lead under Jim Pantaleano’s guidance, with the three-year-old filly Luisella circling up three-wide much of the first turn to get into challenging position by the :28.1 quarter. The fight throughout the middle half was quite heated, with Beyond The Lens and Luisella at each other and By A Hoff Hanover keeping the pocket shut, through a :56 half and a 1:25 three-quarters.
Into the stretch Beyond The Lens looked like he had put away his pesky rival, but she came back for more as the finish line approached, with Beyond The Lens getting the decision in the photo by a head. The winner now has a pair of victories and a second in four starts since entering the care of trainer/owner Arthur Jones.
Hands down, the most impressive performance of the day came from the Betting Line sophomore colt Quick Snap, who won a “nw 2 races” event in a startling 1:50. Quick Snap, in the pocket, was helped by wild early fractions of :26 and :54.2, but he still had the motor to go to the lead before the 1:22 three-quarters, and then finished out in :28 under the guidance of the meet’s leading driver Matt Kakaley.
The colt is now two-for-two at three after posting three seconds in as many freshman starts for trainer Tony Alagna and the ownership of Let It Ride Stables, Bottom Line Racing LLC, M T Pockets Stables and Alagna Racing.
The Pocono racing closes on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., with several different types of races co-featured on the card.
(PHHA / Pocono)