King Strait, at odds of 15-1, moved outside after sitting third much of the way in the $20,548 featured trot at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Monday, June 9, then closed well to catch pacesetting favourite Soncando while taking a new mark of 1:55.4.
Soncando was used hard three-wide by George Napolitano Jr. during a :27 opening quarter to get the lead, and even after backing off the midfractions to :56.4 and 1:26.1, the Cantab Hall-L Dees Maggie gelding King Strait was able to outtrot him to the wire by a neck under the guidance of Ridge Warren. Trainer Jill Roland, whose whole barn has come alive in the last couple of weeks, also owns the feature race winner.
The Huntsville-Valentina De Vie mare Bama Breeze this week drew inside of her main foe Chickaboo (Tyler Buter), who had the post advantage while winning last week, and Bama Breeze was able to reverse the decision in the $17,123 distaff claiming handicap pace, posting a 1:52.4 time that missed her individual best by a fifth. Bama Breeze, who had won three straight at Philly before coming to Pocono and finishing second, is back on the winning track for driver Simon Allard (who topped the drivers with three victories for the day), trainer Dean Eckley, and owner Jose Cervantes.
The racing week at Pocono ends on Tuesday with a 1 p.m. program, which will feature no fewer than three carryovers: into the first-race Superfecta and Pick 4, and into the last-race High 5. The current mountain oval’s schedule is Saturday – Monday – Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m.
The card this Saturday, June 14 is highlighted by a $25,000 USD fast-class pace, while the Sunday races will feature Pennsylvania Sire Stakes trotting fillies in their second preliminary round.
(PHHA/Pocono)