The meet’s leading driver, George Napolitano Jr., ended a highly successful September with six victories on the Sunday, Sept. 30 card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Four of the wins came with horses from the Chris Oakes stable, including a 1:51.2 victory with Rockstar Angel A in the $21,500 distaff feature pace.
The early pace in the top event was creaking, as Great Northeast Series-champion Bettorhaveanother zipped away from post seven, got to the lead in :28.4 and then reached the half in :57.3. The tempo picked up dramatically at that point, though, as favoured Penpal came up with a roar uncovered and was quickly on top just past the midpoint, scorching to three-quarters in 1:23.4.
Rockstar Angel A and Napolitano Jr. pulled from third on the far turn with countrymate Dont Think Twice A, making her U.S. debut, moving out behind her while Bettorhaveanother went to the passing lane to challenge Penpal. The four mares went at each other through the stretch with Bettorhaveanother gaining a short lead midstretch, only to have Rockstar Angel A go by with 100 feet to go. Dont Think Twice A finished second by a neck while Bettorhaveanother was third, another neck back. Penpal faded to fourth.
Rockstar Angel A, a daughter of Rocknroll Hanover owned by the Northfolk Racing Stable, was imported from Down Under this year and now has seven wins in her 2018 campaign with $196,002 in career earnings.
Napolitano just missed a seventh win in the $17,500 co-feature trot as Elysium Lindy, who was racing second behind favourite Dream Baby Dream, inherited the lead on the last bend when that one went offstride. But Tyson, following the top two horses, had enough punch in the stretch to get a head decision in 1:53.4. Eric Carlson had sulky duties behind the Donato Hanover gelding, who is trained by Ed Gannon Jr., co-owner with Frank Canzone, and Tyson raised his career share of the purse to $200,300.
George Napolitano Jr. had three wins earlier in the day at Harrah’s Philadelphia, overhauling previous meet leader Tim Tetrick in that track’s victory column. Combined with his six wins at Pocono had nine visits to "victory lane" on the day. Napolitano Jr. had 90 triumphs during the month of September, with two-thirds of those coming at the mountain oval and the other one-third at the other end of the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
(PHHA)