Yagonnakissmeornot, winless since May 13 and having raced only once since July 4, was still assigned the outside post eight in Friday's $30,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, and the daughter of The Panderosa bore out the local racing office's judgment by rallying from fifth at mid-stretch to win in 1:50.1.
Driver Simon Allard got away fourth, just behind Ooh Bad Shark, who had hung a nose loss on Yagonnakissmeornot on Sun Stakes Saturday, as the brothers Napolitano argued over the early lead, with Anthony and Monkey On My Wheel ceding the lead to George and favoured Inittowinafortune after a searing opener of :26.
Inittowinafortune continued on the front end, hitting the half in :53.3, and as she approached the 1:21.4 three-quarters, there was an interesting two seconds of harness chess. Allard had edged outside with Yagonnakissmeornot, but he did not dash right up, waiting to see what Ooh Bad Shark would do. Allan Davis did decide to vacate the three-hole with the "Shark," giving the winner valuable cover on the far turn.
In the stretch, Inittowinafortune tried to fight off two horses to each side: Monkey On My Wheel on her left in the Pocono Pike and Donttellruss deep in the Pike, along with Ooh Bad Shark to her immediate right and Yagonnakissmeornot widest. In the end, Yagonnakissmeornot had the most pace to win by a half-length over Ooh Bad Shark, with Donttellruss another neck back, and Inittowinafortune nosing Money On My Wheel, both beaten by only one and a quarter lengths for it all.
Yagonnakissmeornot, trained by Allard's brother Rene (by far the top conditioner at Pocono), raised her bankroll to $274,650 in 2015 and $1,093,532 lifetime for owners Allard Racing Inc., Yves Sarrazin, and Kapildeo Singh.
A reminder that the $2 million+ Super Stakes Saturday card is two weeks from tomorrow, on August 22. Being part of the Pocono Downs 50th Anniversary Week, the card laden with stakes-starring three-year-olds will begin at 5:30 p.m., one hour earlier than the Pocono norm, with a giant fireworks show set for after the races.
(PHHA / Pocono)