The 10-year-old Atta Boy Dan won for the fifth consecutive time, and 10th in his last 11 starts, leading at every pole to take the featured $20,000 claiming handicap pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday night (Sept. 7).
He was also claimed for the 13th-straight start for $40,000, tying a local standard first set by R Gauwitz Hanover in 2015.
Driver George Napolitano Jr. got the winning Western Terror gelding to the front late on the first turn and posted fractions of :26.1, :54.2 and 1:22, crossing the wire in 1:50.1, one-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of pocket-sitting Rock The Town, for his connections for this start, trainer Brandon Presto and the ownership of Spring Valley Ranch and Michelle Linnert.
Nobody has lost money having Atta Boy Dan in the barn since he came to Pocono on May 11 – his record over the local oval is 17-13-2-1-$143,400. He has 16 wins on the year and 68 in his career while amassing $916,417. And now Atta Boy Dan goes to a new barn after his 13th-straight race – and it will be a “new” barn, as his new connections have not previously had the horse during his streak.
In the $17,500 top conditioned pace, Rebellious was limbed past a :26.3 quarter, but he had sway the rest of the way to win in 1:50, his second-straight victory. After making the lead around Turbo Hill, driver Anthony Napolitano gave his horse a breather to a :55.4. He was ready when brother George and favoured Dealt A Winner came head-to-head with him during a :26.3 backside, keeping the chalk out past the 1:22.2 three-quarters and into the lane. When that rival backed off, Turbo Hill loomed inside from the pocket, but Rebellious kept three-quarter lengths in front at the wire in winning for trainer Michael Deters, co-owner with Joel Warner.
George Napolitano Jr., the track’s leading driver, had five victories on the Saturday card.
(PHHA/Pocono)