Im A Gigolo N and Baldaquin furthered their career paths as they won the $15,300 featured races on Tuesday afternoon (September 7) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
The Kiwi import Im A Gigolo N has now won two straight races at this level with a 1:50.4 triumph in the pacing headliner. The Sweet Lou gelding, trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Lawrence Karr, and Phil Collura, sat in the pocket behind fractions of :26.4, :55.3, and 1:22.4 carved out by Actor Hanover, passed that rival in the famed Pocono Pike, and then held off second-over Rhett Hanover under the guidance of Matt Kakaley.
Im A Gigolo N has now won 10 races and $93,237, both figures higher than the upper limits of his current condition, so unless he won in a non-counting contest Down Under, he will be taking a step up in class that based on his form looks within his grasp.
Baldaquin is a five-year-old Explosive Matter gelding who has only 18 career starts, but he is 8-6-3 in those races after taking a new mark of 1:54.1. Marcus Miller, who had four wins on the day to lead all drivers, raced the horse off the pace as the trotter seems to prefer, coming on from second-over to catch first-over-turned-leader So Long Hanover in winning by 1-3/4 lengths for trainer Louise Pepin and owner Steven Bryden.
Baldaquin now has earnings of $81,443, which gives him a little room left under the conditions, but soon he’s liable to be taking on, and doing well, against higher-level opponents.
(PHHA / Pocono)