The Captaintreacherous mare Rocket Deo left strongest of all in Monday (July 21) afternoon’s $25,000 fast-class distaff pace at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, set the pace to her liking, then blitzed home in :26.4 to win by three lengths in 1:51.2.
Rocket Deo, now a winner of $881,636, found no serious early opposition, with Promiseland A taking advantage of track geometry from the rail to maintain the pocket and sit in the two-hole as Rocket Deo rang up fractions of :27.4, :56.2, and 1:24.3. With that kind of easy early work, the pacesetter had plenty left in the tank for the drive to the wire; Promiseland A maintained the deuce, three lengths behind at the finish to the winner, who was driven by Jack Pelling, for trainer-father Brett and the ownership of Morrison Racing Stables and John Fielding.
Co-featured on the card were four $20,548 conditioned events for developing horses, equally split between the gaits, and the paces split by sex. The Always B Miki gelding Laugh Shop followed up on his 1:50 win of six days prior to pace to a 1:50.3 victory in his contest, forced to pay a :26.4 (slightly wind-aided) price in quarter two for command but maintaining the lead to the wire. Captain Luffy won a photo for second behind the Braxten Boyd-driven, Jill Wine-trained late bloomer, now winner of three of his last five for Samuel Abdoo and Wine Stable.
The pacing distaffs were fronted the entire mile by the Captaintreacherous sophomore filly Simply Perfect, but she had to step her final half in :55 to ward off first-over Calamity Hour by a nose in a career-best 1:51.1. Simon Allard was the sulkysitter for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Kenneth Jacobs.
The trots had no sexual separation in their conditions. The faster by a tick was turned in by Inferno DK, successful in three of his last six trips to the gate after holding off Top Floor Tactics by three quarters of a length in 1:55.3. George Napolitano Jr. guided the improving winner, an altered son of Great Challenger, for trainer-owner Yinson Quezada.
The Muscle Hill gelding Diplomacy overcame the outside post eight to lead at every pole in his 1:55.4 triumph, with 46-1 shot Stevie Ray second, 2-1/4 lengths back. Niko Karna drove the winner for trainer Noel Daley and the ownership of Allister Stables LLC, L A Express & Sjoblom Inc., Frank Canzone, and Michael Dolan.
Anthony Napolitano reported home first four times to earn the day’s honours as winningest sulkysmith.
The racing week concludes at Pocono on Tuesday at 1 p.m., with the very first race having a carryover into its Superfecta pool.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono Downs)