As they had been over the last several days, the atmospheric conditions in the Mid-Atlantic on Monday (Sept. 28) afternoon were still far from favourable, and the horses and drivers who won the featured races at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania used off-the-pace tactics, aided by a stretch tailwind, to gain the major portion of the prizemoney.
The $26,056 fast-class trotting feature was won by the Walner mare (and aptly-named) Sapphirerainstar in 1:55. With his horse coming off breaks in her last two purse starts, driver Simon Allard opted for conservative inside tactics, but when space developed to move out on the final turn, the winner of $284,502 unleashed a giant :27.1 closing kick to catch the pacesetter Breezy Hall by three-quarters of a length. Breezy Hall is the winner’s stablemate in the Mark Akins barn, and is owned by Akins; Sapphirerainstar is owned Allard’s A 1 Racing of Gilbertsville, PA.
In the $21,831 co-feature class for distaff pacers, Say Goodnight sat the pocket behind the soft pace of Amira Hanover; entering the stretch, driver Tyler Buter briefly analyzed his inside prospects, then pulled Say Goodnight outside, and the fleet filly responded with an individual last quarter of :26.3 to catch the leader by a safe three quarters of a length.
A PaSS champion at two (at 62-1), Say Goodnight now has a bankroll of $540,760 for trainer Nicholas Devita and owners David Hamm of Dagsboro, DE, and Glenn Phillips of Frankford, DE.
There were two divisions of the co-feature for trotters. One went to one of the hottest trainers in Pennsylvania, whether at the pari-mutuels or fair, David Wiest; his pupil Cherokee Chief, a three-year-old International Moni gelding, advanced raw then stepped his final panel in :28.3 to defeat the horse following his cover, Peteza, by a neck, with Braxten Boyd doing the driving for owner Bimmie Strasser of Elysburg, PA.
In the other trot co-feature, Skydiver made a brief break at the start, bounced back quickly, then benefitted from an overcooked pace to rally from sixth at headstretch and prevail in 1:55.3 (a brief inquiry showed no breaking violation). George Napolitano Jr. was in the sulky behind the son of Greenshoe for trainer Laura Angle and owners Howard Kauffman of Bryn Mawr, PA, and Joshua Kauffman of Philadelphia, PA.
In the ten races that were not the feature or co-features, Anthony Napolitano won half the time, triumphing from every imaginable spot on the racetrack, from first at the half to last at the half. Napolitano scored victories with Sainthood ($14.40, 1:53.1), Bella Artiste ($4.40, 1:53.4), Taupeka Jessie N ($14, 1:52.4), Bella Cavalla ($7.40, 1:55) and Bettors Desire ($10.40, 1:52.2).
Three $16,000 USD features for developing two-year-olds will headline the Tuesday (Sept. 29) at 1 p.m. program, the last of the racing week at Pocono.