Smokee Mirrors came in from the Meadows for his first start at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on the Tuesday, July 16 card. The son of Kadabra scratched in off the AE list to get Post 9 and was ninth at the half. Despite that, Smokee Mirrors swept his field to win the $15,000 featured trot in 1:58.2.
Smokee Mirrors and driver Anthony Napolitano got a fast pace behind which to work and they followed Papi Hanover from fourth-over at five-eighths, going three and then four wide late on the far turn. In the stretch Papi Hanover made a short lead, but the long wide journey was tiring. Smokee Mirrors took over late and then withstood by a neck the favoured Holiday Hangover, who had been badly shuffled and was closing even wider than the winner. Andrew Harris trains Smokee Mirrors for owner Robert Key.
For the second straight week Dark Force parlayed an inside trip into a victory, on Tuesday taking a new mark of 1:50.3 in the $14,000 co-featured pace. Driver Eric Carlson got away third with the Bettors Delight mare, sitting behind pacesetting favourite Sidewalk Dancer and pocket-sitter Bye Bye Michelle. Sidewalk Dancer went fast fractions and seemed to blunt any late kick from Bye Bye Michelle, but Dark Force forged deep into the deep Pocono Pike and responded sharply to overhaul the chalk by a neck. Ross Croghan trains the winner for Let It Ride Stables Inc.
Simon Allard drove five winners to head the Pocono drivers during the Tuesday card, the last of which was $81.20 bomber Shady Secret, who was all alone most of the last half.
(with files from PHHA/Pocono)