Driver Anthony Napolitano and the pacer Congressional shared the spotlight on a gradually-drying Saturday, Sept. 7 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
“Anthony Nap,” now a solid third in the local driver standings, put up a natural four-bagger in races three through six, when the track was officially rated “wet-fast” due to a damp surface that did not suffer in generating fast miles, and was back in the winner's circle again in race eight, the contest where the surface was changed over to “fast.”
None of Anthony’s quintet paid more than $7.20, but curiously none went off as the favourite. In fact, Anthony’s brother George had a driving triple, which consisted of the only three winning chalk on the card. (Add in a driving triple for Ridge Warren and a victory for Pat Lachance, and 12 red-and-white drivers won the 14 races.)
If you look up the word “consistency” in the dictionary, you may well find a picture of the Always B Miki gelding Congressional (pictured above), who now has nine victories and 23 on-the-board finishes in 29 starts during 2024 after a 1:49.1 victory on a fast track in the $25,000 fast-class headlining pace.
Driver-trainer-owner Kevin Wallis hustled the winner of $156,115 this year away smartly as usual and got the pocket behind Shoobee Doo A, who pushed the rail to maximum effect and put down fractions of :26.2, :54.2, and 1:21.2. Wallis dipped his pacer into the Pocono Pike and worked by the leader by a neck; a length covered the first four, and the entire field of six was within three lengths at the wire.
There were also two $22,973 co-featured trots for horses looking to move up on the class ladder. The faster section went to the Father Patrick gelding Pedal On Metal, who despite being the longest shot on the board and having to go uncovered was able to wear down favoured pacesetter Purple Lord and take a new mark of 1:54 (fast). Ridge Warren drove the winner for trainer Mike Watson and owner Clifford Gundy.
Legacys Jailbreak couldn’t be overhauled in the other trotting sub-feature, making the lead early and then carrying on through to the wire to defeat AP Hall Of Trix by a neck in 1:54.2 (wet-fast). Jim Pantaleano guided the four-year-old daughter of Dontyouforgetit, who was a dominant force on the Florida stakes circuit at two and three and is continuing her development, winning in her second start for trainer Eric Irving and Elite Harness Racing LLC.
On Monday’s 1 p.m. card, Pocono Downs is proud to host the $1.2 million USD Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship races for three-year-olds in each of the four stakes divisions; those classes also all have $50,000 USD consolations. The high-profile Captain Albano and T C I will both be looking to add a sophomore Pennsylvania Championship to the finals win they each earned as freshmen. There will also be a carryover into the first race Superfecta bet and the race four Pick 3 wager.
(PHHA / Pocono)