The Always B Miki-Betterluck Hanover gelding Congressional probably wishes that Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania would never close.
Since coming to the brick-red five-eighths-mile oval from the Bluegrass of Kentucky, Congressional has crossed the wire first four times (he was placed back for interference in one of that quartet) and second three times by a cumulative three-quarters of a length, and he has won or lost all of those races by less than a length.
On Saturday afternoon, with the temperature in the mid-60s, Congressional again turned in a brave performance to win the $27,778 fast-class conditioned pace in 1:51.1. Driver-trainer-owner Kevin Wallis pushed the gelding to the lead from the outside post seven in a :26.2 quarter, then yielded to Santana Hanover (George Napolitano Jr.), with whom he has traded decisions the last two weeks, and sat behind that one during middle splits of :56.1 and 1:23.4.
Taken to the Pocono Pike, Congressional again dug down deep, got by his quick rival, then faced a late burst to his own inside from pylon-hugging American Dealer N (Anthony Napolitano) before getting the win by a neck. Santana Hanover was beaten a half-length in third.
Congressional, a five-year-old gelding, now has $407,220 in lifetime earnings with 19 wins in 88 attempts. He paid $9.60 to win.
The Bettors Wish-Odds On Naples gelding Odds On Wildfire ($2.60) was an inside pocket rocket in taking the $23,611 co-featured conditioned pace for up-and-coming male pacers in 1:51.4. After an early donnybrook that left the eventual winner positioned by Rio (Jack Pelling) after a :27 quarter, he stayed in the golden chair during fractions of :55 and 1:23.2, then came clear and went on to a 1-1/4 length decision over the pacesetter for driver Jim Marohn Jr. and trainer-owner Geovany Hernandez. Jabbar (Anthony Napolitano) dead heated for show with Magnifico Hanover (George Napolitano Jr.). The winner, a three-year-old gelding in his first season, reached double digits in wins with the victory and has now earned $124,688 in 19 starts.
In the $22,222 handicap pace for the highest-price claimers on the grounds, the Captaintreacherous-No More Trouble gelding Nineteenth Man A ($3.40) posted splits of :28, :56.3, and 1:24.3, then held off the closing bid of Hammering Hank (Anthony Napolitano) for a neck decision in 1:51.4, his third win in his last four starts, this one right off a claim by Flying A Racing Stable.
Nineteenth Man A was driven by Tyler Buter for trainer Hunter Oakes, one of two combined wins between the pair on the day. Buter, the track’s leading driver, won a third race with Kopi Luwak, a pupil of Ron Burke.
Pocono will host a set of championships when it returns to racing at 1 p.m. on Monday: the eight Championships for two- and three-year-olds in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series, for horses just below the North American-quality Sire Stakes. The Stallion Series will offer total purses of $320,000 USD. There will also be a carryover into the first-race Pick 4 on the Monday card.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)