A quartet of $17,500 fast-class events capped the Saturday (Sept. 3) card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with a horse who hadn’t started since his TVG Final last season making the biggest impression.
Gangster Hanover, away over nine months before Saturday with only one qualifier as a “prep,” was sent right down the road by George Napolitano Jr., deputizing for trainer Åke Svanstedt, and the son of Father Patrick (who himself set two world records at Pocono that still stand) motored through fractions of :27, :56, and 1:24.1 to hit the wire in 1:52.1, a new mark, while far ahead of a talented field. The patience of owners Svanstedt, S R F Stable, and Brittany Farms LLC may be ready to be rewarded from a horse who is now five but only has had 28 starts, ten of which have been successful for $389,163.
In the other top trot, the Bar Hopping gelding Robbie Pev has now won four of his last seven trips to the gate after a 1:54 mile where he controlled most of the pace and won by two lengths over the good Chapolier. Tyler Buter drove the developing four-year-old for trainer Jill Roland and owner Bernard O'Brien.
In the pacing headliner for males, Bettors Donttell lived to tell about his win after the arduous tuck-then-first-over journey, prevailing by a neck over Chatelroll in 1:51.2 for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The success was one of three successful teamings on the day for trainer Ron Burke and driver Simon Allard, the latter rolling up four wins on the day in all.
Sire Bettors Delight completed a sweep of the pacing features when Nuttinbuthebest sat a two-hole trip behind A Girl That Twirls, then was able to get by her by three-quarters of a length while equaling her lifetime best of 1:51.4. Braxten Boyd handled the mare for trainer Ravis Alexander and Fiddler’s Creek Stables LLC.
The final Sunday program of the 2022 racing season will be conducted at Mohegan Sun Pocono on the eve of Labor Day at 5 p.m.; 1:30 p.m. racing on Labor Day itself at the mountain oval is headed by eight $40,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series Championships for two- and three-year-olds, split by sex and gait. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Pocono)