Driver Marcus Miller, eastern Pennsylvania’s 'King Of The Longshots' for the last couple of years, had had four $50+ winners at the current meet at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, and he was in sole possession of the lead in that category until Tom Jackson drove a pair of longshots back to Victory Lane last night to equal Miller for the meet high at four.
It didn’t take Marcus long to reclaim the top – and in a spectacular way.
Miller reined Larson Hanover to a $154.20 victory in Tuesday’s third race at The Downs, sitting a pocket trip behind favoured Fashion Winner and catching that one to win by a head and return the boxcar mutuel. For lessee/trainer Clifton Green, the bomber was his second such conditioning success at the mountain oval this season, tying him with Steve Salerno for second, one behind a person who can win with favourites or longshots – Ron Burke, who has three $50+ horses at the meet despite being second in the training standings.
It’s not that the two-year-old Larson Hanover hadn’t shown some talent while taking a grand tour of Pennsylvania: he debuted at Philly, where he closed for second but was placed fourth for a pylon violation; at Gratz Fair he was second early after five of his eight opponents made breaks before the quarter, but he too then lapsed from trotting; that misbehaviour was repeated in his last start at The Meadows, though he was in against Sire Stakes company. Perhaps the red clay surface was just what Larson Hanover needed to win – and light up the tote board.
The longshot triumph came in the middle of a consecutive triple for Marcus Miller, with bookend mutuels of $10.40 and $34.40. The five $50+ triumphs at Pocono now matches Miller’s entire output here in 2015, where he led the track in such victories.
After Miller’s triple, Andrew McCarthy won the next three races in a row, though with better-regarded horses: $4.40, $8.00, and $8.20.
(PHHA/Pocono)