Carabao A won his fourth race in his last six starts, with the Australian import taking a new mark of 1:48.2 in the $29,973 featured pace on Tuesday (Aug. 27) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, where the surface has been wicked-fast all week.
Tyler Buter got the American Ideal gelding away third as Endofstory streaked to command early and put up hot fractions of :26.3, :54.4, and 1:21.2 without anybody charging at him. In fact, it was the winner who was first to move out and up to the pacesetter late in the backstretch, and through the lane Carabao A had better pace than his game foe, turning him back by a length for trainer Lance Hudson, co-owner with William Hartt.
There were three divisions of a $20,270 sub-feature class, one for either sex on the pace and one on the trot. The pacing males got the card off to a quick start with a 1:49.3 lifetime best from the gelding Forward Look, who made the lead past mid-first turn and held command the rest of the way, defeating pocketsitter Yankee Clout by a neck under the guidance of Matt Kakaley.
The distaff co-feature pacers made up the second half of the Early Double, and sweeping the two races were trainer Nicholas Devita, sire Huntsville, and the partnership of David Hamm, Christopher Giaccio, and Glenn Phillips, with the mare Linemup Knockmback ready after a five-week absence to earn a new speed badge of 1:51. The Pocono Pike was the avenue for Linemup Knockmback and driver George Napolitano Jr. to win by 1-1/2 lengths over favoured Gentrify, who made a good recovery from a brief early misstep.
The trotting section of this class for developing horses also saw a new mark taken, as the Bar Hopping filly Tequini Hanover overcame the tough post eight draw in 1:54.2. “Tequini” certainly did not have an easy trip after starting from the far outside, but she showed grittiness to withstand Loranga by a half length for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Lucas Wallin, and the partnership of Wallin Racing Stable Inc., Wiesman Farms LLC, and Pieter Delis.
Anthony Napolitano won the last race of the day to top the drivers colony with three visits to the winners circle.
Pocono is now on its late summer/fall basic schedule of 1 p.m. racing on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday.
(PHHA / Pocono)