The fastest claiming trotters racing at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania were gathered for two $18,493 handicap events as the local racing week came to a close Tuesday, July 22.
In the quicker section, The American Eagle ($6) enjoyed a good trip inside, then swung wide and was along in time to overhaul pacesetter Shinkansen (Simon Allard) by a neck in 1:54.3. Gaelihill (Ridge Warren) was third. The meet’s leading driver, Tyler Buter, worked out the good trip for the son of Trixton-Dorsay as he won for trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Flying A Racing Stable. The six-year-old stallion tallied his 16th career win in his 101st career start.
In the other feature cut, the Muscle Mass-Whitesand Electra gelding Dart Guy ($7.60) posted his second straight win despite elevating in class here, putting everybody in behind him early and then proving uncatchable in 1:55. He was two lengths clear of Vegas Ticket (Colin Kelly) at the line, who took the place spot over In My Dreams (George Napolitano Jr.). Anthony Napolitano took the shortest way home with the winner for trainer Marta Piotrow and Piotrow Racing LLC. The eight-year-old gelding is now 18-for-136 lifetime.
Trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt brought in a pair of two-year-old trotting fillies and fulfilled the bettors’ expectations of them with victories. Kate ($2.40), a daughter of Gimpanzee-Earn Your Wings, got a bit of a tussle from 21-1 shot Press (Braxten Boyd) before breaking her maiden with a 1:57.2 mile that put her ahead of that rival by a length for S R F Stable. Her stablemate, Busy Miss Lissy S (Calgary Games-Hills Angel S) overcame the outside post eight to win by five lengths at 1-9 in a new mark of 1:57.4 for owner/breeder Panamera Racing.
The fastest mile of the day was the 1:51.1 clocking turned in by the Captain Crunch-Magestic Blue Chip three-year-old pacing gelding Captain Magestic ($4), who finished powerfully to tally for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Doug Dilloian Jr., and owners Andray Farm, Greg Gillis, and Douglas Overhiser.
A pair of “bombers” spiced up the late-card action: first driver Steve Smith notched a $72.80 shocker in the ninth race with All Of A Sudden ($72.60), and then Allard “outdid” that by guiding Whiskey Breath home first to return $120.40 for a $2 win bet in the 11th race of Tuesday’s twelve-race card.
Since those two races were the bookends of a Pick 3 wager, it’s no surprise that that bet will have a carryover going into Saturday’s fourth race. With Pocono featuring a Hi-5 in the last race, the Superfecta carryover largely precipitated by Whiskey Breath will also carry over, to Saturday’s first race, which is set to go off at 1 p.m.
(PHHA/Pocono)