March 30, 2013
Imperial Count overcame a wide final turn to stage a furious rally and win Saturday night’s featured Preferred Trot at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried a purse of $25,000.
Leaving from post position #6 in a field of seven as the 3-2 second betting choice, Imperial Count (Angus Hall-Miss Imperial) sat sixth in the early going as Photo King cut out the fractions. Driver Tyler Buter set him the 5-year-old stallion from the barn of trainer Nifty Norman in motion on the back stretch third over, but the first-over horse, The Evictor, went off-stride entering the final turn. Imperial Count, even after taking the turn wide to avoid the breaking horse, still had enough momentum to chase down Photo King and beat him by a half-length at the line in 1:54:2. Magic Tonight finished 3rd.
Imperial Count, owned by Neven Botica of Australia, won for the first time in two starts in 2013. It was his 14th career victory and gave him lifetime earnings of $584,973.