Green Pastures was laid down a tepid tempo up front before sprinting home in :27.2 to win the $20,270 featured trot in 1:55.3 on Sunday evening, Aug. 25 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
Green Pastures, a sophomore Greenshoe gelding trained by Per Engblom, got the front relatively quickly; the second choice had Bellas Musclehill, the favourite and second in his Hambletonian elimination, on his back. Jason Bartlett rested his horse as much as he could on the lead by setting fractions of :28.2, :59.1 and 1:28.1, with Bellas Musclehill moving out of the two-hole at the three-quarters to try to go by.
Green Pastures accelerated while Bellas Musclehill made a break trying to generate greater speed. Seven Reps, sitting third, came up the inside and posed a threat, but Green Pastures, coming off a 1:53.2 Pennsylvania Stallion Series victory, had too much left, winning by a half length under mild Bartlett coaxing.
Green Pastures’ ownership consists of VIP Internet Stable LLC, Engblom Stable LLC, R A W Equine Inc., and Marco Greico.
In a $16,892 co-feature, also on the trot, the Class Included gelding Breckenridge raised his career bankroll to over $388,000 with a 1:53.4 victory. Driver Anthony Napolitano made a quick move down the backstretch with his trotter to get the lead, then kept right on going in winning by 3-1/4 lengths for trainer Lance Hudson and owner William Hartt.
Andrew Adamczyk and Tony Beltrami both fired their respective trotters to the point and to front-stepping victories in a pair of $13,514 divisions for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC). In the first division, Buzz and Adamczyk rebuffed persistent first-over pressure from Beltrami and Puddin N Pie to post a 1:56.1 win. Adamczyk owns and trains the 12-year-old gelding by Kadabra. Beltrami had an easier time getting to the cones in the second division with Jive Ninety Five, who motored out of post eight and down the road to a 1:57.2 win. Peter Pellegrino owns and trains that seven-year-old gelding by Andover Hall.
Doubles were posted by drivers Jason Bartlett, Matt Kakaley, Marcus Miller and Anthony Napolitano, and by trainer Per Engblom.
This is the final Sunday card during the 2024 racing season at Pocono. Racing reverts to a Saturday-Monday-Tuesday schedule with a first post of 1 p.m. There will be a double carryover into the last race High 5 wager for the Monday, Aug. 26 card.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono Downs & AHDC)