The Explosive Matter mare Pat Matters ran her record to four-for-five since joining the Nifty Norman barn in winning the $17,500 featured trot in 1:52.2 on Sunday evening at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
George Napolitano Jr. was on the move after a :26.4 opening quarter with the four-year-old to gain the top, and she rolled to midrace fractions of :55.1 and 1:23.1. In her last start at Philadelphia, a 1:52.2 clocking enabled her to draw away from her competition; here Scioto shipper Whats The Word made her stay to task to record a one-and-a-quarter length victory with Henderson Seelster, who made a break early, coming from far out of it to be only another neck back at the finish.
The 1:52.2 clocking equaled the lifetime mark that Pat Matters had established in her previous start. Since teaming with Norman for the Patricia Stable, the mare has lost only in a Miss Versatility leg against the likes of Hannelore Hanover.
In the trotting division of $17,000 co-features, Explosivebreakaway, a gelded sophomore son of Explosive Matter and a full brother to Phaetosive, regained his winning ways with a two-move victory from post 8 in a lifetime mark 1:54.1. Tom Jackson rallied the three-year-old wide off the final turn and went on to a length victory over Captain Morgan for trainer Fred Grant, who co-owns with Janice Rubin, Steve Katz and Murray Brown. Explosivematter won for the seventh time in 14 starts.
In the pacing section, the American Ideal gelding JK Musicman was involved in tough early fractions, but had enough capacity to maintain his advantage and lower his mark to 1:51.2, staying one-and-a-half lengths ahead of rallying-favourite Trump That. Eric Carlson drove the Gilbert Garcia-Herrera trainee for owner Gilbert Garcia-Owen.
(PHHA/Pocono)