Harness racing's richest pacer Foiled Again made a furious rally on the outside to nose out Bettor Sweet and win a talent-packed Open Pace on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried the night’s top purse of $50,000.
Foiled Again (Dragon Again-In A Safe Place) left from the outside post in a field of seven, which had combined lifetime earnings of approximately $12 million. Driver Matt Kakaley settled the eight-year-old gelding in fifth place early as a 2-1 second choice while 8-5 favourite We Will See took the field to the quarter in :26.4 over a sloppy track. Bettor Sweet brushed in the front stretch to take the lead and get the field to the half in a sizzling :54.2.
Kakaley set Foiled Again in motion on the back stretch and got a break when Rockincam headed out in front of him to provide cover. Bettor Sweet was still on top at three-quarters in 1:22, and driver David Miller had the gelding poised for his first win of the season in the stretch. But Foiled Again had other ideas, spinning off his cover and lunging to beat Bettor Sweet by a nose at the line in 1:49.1. Blatantly Good came on to show.
Fresh off his win in the Canadian Derby on Sept. 1 at Mohawk Racetrack, Foiled Again, the pride of the Ron Burke barn and owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, and JJK Stables, pushed his seasonal earnings to $959,545 and his record bankroll to $4,381,551 with the win. He now has six victories in 18 races this season and 64 lifetime wins.
(With files from Pocono Downs)