The Mach Three mare Intoview recorded her third straight victory for owner/trainer Gilbert Garcia-Owen while winning the $14,000 distaff claiming handicap pacing feature in 1:52.4 on Monday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
On a night where nine of fourteen chalks prevailed, Intoview and driver George Napolitano, Jr. were not the crowd’s favourite – at 9-5, they were held slightly behind 7-5 LKs Nancy Lee, handled by George’s brother Anthony. LKs Nancy Lee challenged early leader Rosy Outlook after the :27.2 quarter, reaching the half in :56.2 and then bracing for the first-over move from Intoview.
Intoview got to within a head of the leader by the 1:24.1 clocking with a quarter to go, then continued the attack through the lane, with pocket sitting Rosy Outlook making it a three-horse contest to the wire. Intoview proved most photogenic, a head ahead of LKs Nancy Lee, who held that same margin over Rosy Outlook. The victorious sharp mare now has earnings of $150,301.
In a $13,000 co-feature, the Well Said gelding Well Played Out followed advancing cover, then paced his own last quarter in :27.2 to catch that cover, Bag Pipe Major, by three-quarters of a length while lowering his mark a full second to 1:53.1. Tyler Buter guided the winner, whose $15.40 mutuel was the longest of the night, for trainer Alex Kavoleff and owners Douglas Alexander and Bruce Areman.
George Napolitano, Jr. won five races on the Tuesday card, including four of the final five, giving him 70 victories to date in the month of May: 47 of them at Pocono and the other 23 at Philly.
(PHHA / Pocono)