Aggressive handling by driver Eric Carlson helped the Rocknroll Hanover gelding Sweet Rock to defeat 2-5 favourite Springsteen in 1:50.1 in the $21,500 featured pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Saturday, Sept. 21.
Sweet Rock left hard from the pegs and would not let Atta Boy Dan go by early. Once putting that rival behind Carlson hit the brakes, bringing Springsteen out of last in the field of four to quickly grab the lead past a :27.2 quarter. Springsteen then went his middle half in :53.4 (:54.2, 1:21.1) trying to get away from the field, holding an open-length lead from shortly into the backstretch until turning for home.
But Springsteen began to tire after the huge numbers and Carlson managed to get his pacer up on the bit, shifting outside nearing midstretch and getting by the chalk by a head. The winner of $778,906 is trained by Wayne Givens and the ownership of Legacy Racing of Delaware Inc., Reggie Hazzard II, and Gary Calloway.
As for Pocono’s “King Of The Claimers”, Atta Boy Dan–the highest level of claimer was not filling, so an optional $40,000 claiming price was added to the conditions of the feature. Atta Boy Dan had won his last five starts and 10 of his last 11 races, but he had to settle for third in this higher company after a week away. However, he was claimed for $40,000 out of his 14th-straight race, beating the unofficial local record of R Gauwitz Hanover set in 2015.
The Somebeachsomewhere gelding Somebeach Baron laid off of a hot pace, moved to contention on the far turn, then paced away from his field for a one-and-a-quarter length victory in the $17,500 co-feature, equaling his lifetime record with the 1:50.3 victory. Somebeach Baron has now taken three of his last five starts for trainer Marta Piotrow and owner Ameer Najor.
Somebeach Baron was driven by Anthony Napolitano, who had four victories on the card, as did his brother George Napolitano Jr.
(PHHA/Pocono)