Driver George Napolitano Jr. teamed with sons of Cantab Hall to sweep the $20,548 trotting features Monday (July 22) afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, and in his seasonlong duel with Matt Kakaley, Napolitano has reclaimed the top spot in the mountain track’s standings.
Capricious One covered a lot of extra ground in winning the 1:54.4 faster division, being parked with cover to a :28 quarter, then making the lead not that far before a :57.1 half. The winning gelding hit the three-quarters in 1:25.4 and opened a big lead turning for home, which he needed because favored Mt Bluebird was coming on wide, making up ground with every step. But Capricious One held on by three parts of a length while taking a new mark for trainer Jenny Melander and owners Melander Racing Inc., Noonan Harness Racing LLC, and Suojalampi Stable Inc. (“Suojalampi” being a popular lake for fishing in Finland).
The other feature saw Napolitano bring in the sophomore gelding Soncando, who has now won two of his last three after a 1:57 victory for trainer Clifton Green and owner Robert Allison Jr. Soncando yielded to sit in the pocket, then utilized the Pocono Pike in holding off Mischievous G by a neck.
Tyler Buter and George Napolitano Jr. both won three races on the Monday card.
Tuesday’s (July 23) 1 p.m. weekending card has a strong $17,000 USD pacing feature for developing horses that could flirt with the 1:50 mark under ideal conditions.
(PHHA / Pocono)