American Fling got the perfect trip, then struck the front in the late stages to win the $26,056 fast-class conditioned pacing feature at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday, Aug. 1 in a lifetime-best 1:48.4.
The six-year-old American Ideal-Feeling You gelding was the innermost of three hard leavers, with Goliath Hanover (Matt Kakaley) just outside him and favoured Congressional (Kevin Wallis) wide, when Goliath Hanover made a break but recovered quickly and tucked in third. American Fling did yield command to Congressional, who paid a :26 price to control the throttle.
An even bigger price would soon come due: Goliath Hanover shifted into high gear off the first bend in another effort to get to the top, but Congressional denied him that, and the fractions were white-hot: :53 to the half and 1:20.3 to the three-quarters. American Fling had the best view of the titanic tussle from the pocket.
Turning for home, Ridge Warren moved American Fling outside, but the vaunted tenacity of Congressional was in evidence again, as he went on gallantly despite the extra energy expenditure. It was only past mid-stretch that American Fling could get his nose in front, and that is all the margin he could gain – but it was enough to get him the fat end of the cheque for trainer Randy Bendis. Art Of Revenge (Tyler Buter) finished third.
American Fling got his sixth win in 24 starts this year for owners Bendis and Pollack Racing LLC. The gelding is now 28-for-117 lifetime. He paid $14.80 to win.
In the $22,535 conditioned sub-feature for the fast-class pacers, the Believeinbruiser-Shytown Lightning eight-year-old gelding Big Bang Bang overcame a rough trip to win his second straight race, here in 1:50.2. Brett Beckwith tried to leave for early position but quickly shelved those thoughts as three inside him left; it was favoured Holt Hanover (Braxten Boyd) who won the war for pace control and set fractions of :26.4, :55.4 and 1:23. Beckwith advanced in the tow with Big Bang Bang then lost his cover on the far turn, but the Darren Taneyhill trainee was able to grind down the pacesetter by a neck, with his own last split in :27 for owner Carmen Iannacone. Santana Hanover (Anthony Napolitano) finished off the top three.
Driver Matt Kakaley won both $24,648 conditioned contests for horses on the rise, one on each gait. In the pace, Gentlemans Club, a Downbytheseaside-See You At Peelers sophomore colt who had missed by a head while third in the Meadowlands Pace in his previous start, sat in the pocket behind 31-1 shot No Tresspassing (Anthony Napolitano). The latter carved out splits of :27, :55, and 1:21.3 before Gentlemans Club moved out on the turn and eventually worked to the lead to win the 1:48.3 mile. The longshot fought on gamely, making Gentlemans Club come home in :26.3 for the length victory for trainer Aaron Lambert and owner Anthony Licastro. Heaven Needs Me (Simon Allard) was third.
A race earlier, the four-year-old Walner-Dark As A Pocket gelding Night Phantom visited victory lane for the third time in his last four starts, going wire-to-wire with splits of :27.4, :56.1 and 1:24.1 and a final time of 1:53 for trainer Anthony Faulkner and owner Jaypaul Hoover. Also eye-catching though defeated were Captain Jordan (Brett Beckwith), who trotted his own back half in :55.4 uncovered to be just a neck back at the finish, and the favourite Kierkegaard K (George Napolitano Jr.), who broke early then trotted his last three quarters in 1:23.3 to salvage a cheque. Waterfall (Anthony Napolitano) finished third.
Kakaley and George Napolitano Jr. each had three winners on the 13-race card. Doubles were turned in by Beckwith, Anthony Napolitano and Ridge Warren. Both Warren’s winners came for the only trainer to have two wins on the day, Randy Bendis.
The Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series will be featured on the Monday 1 p.m. Pocono program, with $231,992 USD at stake in two Sire Stakes splits and five Stallion Series sections of the second preliminary round for two-year-old male pacers. The three horses of Dr. Ian Moore who won in the first leg, Mascarpone and Shalom Hanover (Sire Stakes) along with Five Alarm Fire (Stallion Series), are to be at Pocono and will be driven by Louis-Philippe Roy.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)