Musselsfrmbrussels, nearly 10 lengths off a wild early pace by Getitoffyourchest at the three-quarters, rallied strongly to win the $24,000 featured pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Saturday, edging Malak Uswaad N by a nose in 1:49.1.
After there not being a 1:20 or less clocking to the three-quarters in 2015 North American harness racing after the eighth month's seventh day, the next day produced two within eight hours and seven minutes -- State Treasurer's 1:19.4 in winning the U.S. Pacing Championship at The Meadowlands, and here Geitoffyourchest getting off unbelievable numbers of :25.1, :52.2, and 1:19.4, with driver Simon Allard kicking out the earplugs nearing the three-quarters even though his pacer had an eight-length lead.
Allard was proven correct in his concern for keeping his horse going, as Malak Uswaad N was rapidly gaining uncovered for Jim Morrill Jr., with Musselsfrmbrussels and Anthony Napolitano right on his back. Malak Uswaad N took the lead in mid-stretch, but "A-Nap" kept after Musselsfrmbrussels (named after Jean-Claude Van Damme), and he took the measure of his foe right on the line. (Getitoffyourchest wound up sixth.)
The winning son of Modern Art is conditioned by Pocono's leading trainer, Rene Allard, who had three winners on the night at press time, as did Pocono's leading driver George Napolitano Jr. The career winner of $561,345 equalled his lifetime mark for two-thirds of the partnership that owned Pocono's Friday feature winner Yagonnakissmeornot, Allard Racing Inc. and Yves Sarrazin, with Serge Bureau also a partner on Musselsfrmbrussels.
The action doesn't let up at Pocono tomorrow night, as four fields of two-year-old pacing fillies contest the third preliminary leg of their Pennsylvania Sires Stakes campaign. Trainer Jimmy Takter, fresh off his success with Pinkman in the Hambletonian on Saturday, has two of Sunday's finest prospects, Pure Country and Ivy League.
(PHHA / Pocono)