All three divisions of the Great Northeast Open Series (GNOS) -- for open pacers, open trotters, and mare pacers -- have filled this week, which means three heats of competitive action for $30,000 each at the eastern Pennsylvania tracks this weekend.
The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono will play host to the open pacers on Saturday evening. Accorded 5-2 morning line favouritism is More The Better N, a son of Bettors Delight who made his U.S. debut a successful one this past Sunday at Philly, rallying from far back to post a 1:49.4 tally. A winner of $445,168, More The Better N drew the challenging post seven in a field of eight for driver Vinnie Ginsburg, trainer Ross Croghan and the ownership of Robert Cooper Stables LLC and J&T Silva Stables LLC.
Highalator, starting from post two for driver Eric Carlson, is no stranger to winning over the Pocono oval, and having posted a career-best 1:48 at The Meadowlands two starts ago, he is rated the early second choice at 3-1 in the GNOS contest, tenth on the mountain oval’s card.
The action goes south 100 miles on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike for the two races at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon. First up will be the sixth race open trot, with Guardian Angel AS, who set a track record of 1:52 for four-year-old trotting horses when he raced here on June 24, given the early nod at 5-2 from post five for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Anette Lorentzon, and owners Kjell Johansson and the ACL Stuteri AB of John Erik Magnusson, who passed away last week. The son of Archangel will be going for his fourth win in five seasonal starts on Sunday.
Co-second choices at 3-1 are Such An Angel (post one, driver George Napolitano Jr.), who won an Open handicap at Yonkers in the time of 2:24.2 for 1-1/4 miles last time out, and the two-time divisional champion mare Broadway Donna (post two, driver David Miller), who won here in the GNOS on June 10.
Pacing mares will take to the track in race eleven, with the 5-2 early choice Tequila Monday beginning from post six in a seven-horse grouping. The daughter of American Ideal, to be driven by Eric Goodell for trainer Chris Oakes and the partnership of Northfolk Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey, won a GNOS event at Pocono on June 3, and she missed just a head to Newborn Sassy in a distaff handicap pace at Yonkers in her last race.
L A Delight, who won a GNOS contest here on May 27 and has been consistently-close to the best of her group since, is held at 3-1 early as she begins from post three for driver Yannick Gingras.
The Great Northeast Open Series contestants are trying to earn enough points to make their way into their division’s GNOS Championship – all three of the groups will go for $100,000 over 1-1/4 miles at Pocono on Sunday, September 2, also the card featuring the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships for three-year-olds.
(PHHA / The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono / Harrah’s Philadelphia)