Nov 4, 2014 | Racing
October 17-23, 2014
It’s hard to believe that we are entering the final month of the 2014 racing season at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. In just a few weeks, we’ll be handing out yearend awards and trying to sum up what has been another wonderful racing meet. But the action hasn’t abated yet, as evidenced by another thrilling week of racing. Let’s take a look at the top performances by handing out the Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: TALK STRATEGY
This 4-year-old stallion had been quite a surprise in his previous two starts, winning in come-from-behind fashion at long odds both times. He scored at 9-1 two starts ago and then rallied from last to first to win last week at 11-1. Since he had been racing in a non-winners of five condition with an optional claiming price in those races, he was scooped up for the claiming price after the last start and joined the barn of Chris Oakes.
On Tuesday night, Talk Strategy lined up to attempt a third straight victory against the same class, but he was the second choice behind speedy Southwind Terror. Sure enough, Southwind Terror streaked to the front end and tried to bottom out the field by pacing unconscious fractions. Only he didn’t count on Talk Strategy staying close enough behind him to apply pressure.
As they rounded the final turn, the fractions caught up with Southwind Terror and he went off stride into the infield. Since those top two had separated from the rest, Talk Strategy, with George Napolitano Jr. in the bike, suddenly found himself with a huge lead. He coasted from there to the win, his third straight, with this one coming in a new career-best 1:50:2.
Other top pacers this week include: Regil Elektra (Joe Pavia Jr., Monte Gelrod), who rallied as an 18-1 long shot for a victory in Friday night’s $35,000 Open Handicap for mares, scoring in a career-best 1:50:3; Dedi’s Dragon (Andrew McCarthy, Ron Burke), whose condition victory on Saturday night came in 1:49:4, a career-best and the fastest time of the week at Pocono; and Trevor Win For Us (George Napolitano Jr., Chris Oakes), who romped to his second consecutive claiming handicap win on Saturday night in 1:51.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: OVERANDOVERVICTORY
A five-year-old gelding from the barn of trainer Douglas Hamilton, Overandovervictory has been a solid performer in the middle of the condition ranks this season at Pocono. As the campaign nears its close, he seems to just be getting warmed up. On October 11, he put together one of his finest performances of the year with a front-end win in 1:54:3.
On Saturday night, he had a few things working against him in his quest for a second consecutive victory. First, he was moving up to a higher class, the non-winners of $14,000 in the last five starts, after a few months in against a bit lower. Second, he was stuck in the brutal #9 post position, never an easy task against any foes. Hence the long odds on the gelding of 21-1.
Driver Anthony Napolitano was able to coax some early speed out of him, reaching the lead quickly and then sitting in a great spot in the pocket for much of the mile. The only question was whether or not Overandovervictory would have a second move in him. He did, powering home to hold off closing Tag Up And Go by a nose in 1:55. That makes two in a row for a trotter who likely won’t be underestimated again anytime soon.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: Miss Wapwallopen (Mike Simons, Gene Daisey Jr.), a mare whose claiming handicap win on Wednesday night in 1:56 was her second straight victory and third in her last four; Home Front (Ake Svanstedt driver and trainer), a colt who ripped off his third consecutive condition victory on Wednesday in 1:57:3; and Hezatrain (George Napolitano Jr., Allan Johnson), who rolled to a condition win on Tuesday night in 1:53:3, a career mark and the fastest trotting time of the week at MSPD.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: RAMBLINGAMBLINMAN
You would have had to be ramblin’ and gamblin’ to take a shot on this one on Wednesday night at 33-1, but John Kakaley guided him home to a condition win for a $69 payout on a $2 win ticket.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: GEORGE NAPOLITANO JR.
Very few drivers in the history of Pocono have ever achieved 300 wins in a single meet, but George Nap does it year after year, reaching that magic number for 2014 on Saturday night.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: AKE SVANSTEDT
Svanstedt’s training percentage at Pocono has been brilliant all season long, and this week was no different as he churned out four more victories.
That will do it for this week, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
Oct 13, 2011 | Racing
Over the past few weeks, racing fans at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs have been treated to some excellent action featuring two-year-old pacers and trotters. It’s been a part of the Equinox Late Closer series put together by our Director of Racing Rick Kane, and it culminated last Friday night with four $40,000 finals. Those finals were one of the highlights of an exciting racing week, so let’s honor those excellent freshmen in this edition of the Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: SHADY BREEZE
One of the most fascinating things about two-year-old horses is that they’re still in the process of defining who they are. It’s hard to know what to expect from week to week in terms of performance, obviously, but it’s also hard for horsemen in control of these youngsters to gauge how to handle them. Luckily, driver Mike Simons was versatile enough to handle what Shady Breeze threw at him on Friday night in the Equinox final for colts and geldings on the pace.
In his previous start in the series, the 2-year-old ridgling from the barn of trainer Judith Welty picked up a win by waiting until the last possible moment and uncorking a furious stretch move. Considering all of the early speed congregated in the final, including heavy favorite Wahine, it seemed like Shady Breeze would try to take the same path. Instead, he soared to the front end and dared everyone to catch him.
As the stretch arrived, it seemed like Shady Breeze might give way to the closers lining up behind him. Instead, Simons got him to dig in for all he was worth, and he emerged with the victory by a length, pacing the mile in 1:52:3. I’m not sure what style he’ll choose next time, but it seems a safe bet that Shady Breeze will be tough to beat from here on out.
Other top pacers this week include: McSauna (Andrew McCarthy, Scott DiDomenico), who sustained a first-over trip to take the Equinox final for pacing fillies in 1:53; JJ Gladiator (Joe Pavia Jr. Rob Harmon), who won his second straight race at the top of the Pocono claiming ladder on Saturday night in a career-best time of 1:49:4; and Natural Woman N (Joe Pavia Jr., Brian Seidel), who churned out her second straight victory and fourth win out of five with a claiming handicap conquest on Wednesday night in 1:53:2.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: DELICIOUS
One of the prerequisites of competing in the Equinox series was that a horse was not allowed to have more than $50,000 in career earnings as of August 25. In this way, the series was set up more for horses still learning the game in the earliest stages of their careers. At least that was the theory, until Delicious entered the picture in the trotting fillies group already looking every bit the champion.
Oddly enough, a break of stride prevented her from winning her first try in the series, although she recovered to get 3rd in that race a few weeks ago. She followed that up with a win at The Meadows last time out, and returned to Pocono brimming with confidence for trainer Ron Gurfein.
After an early battle for the lead produced some scorching fractions, Delicious was sent first-over by driver Matt Kakaley on the back stretch. She left a bunch of helpless horses in her wake, looking every bit the 1-9 favorite in a nine-length romp. Her winning time was a stunning 1:55, just two-fifths of a second shy of a new track record. The rest of the Equinox series might have been all about talented newcomers, but this filly performed like an established superstar.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: Blokbuster Hanover (Matt Kakaley, Richard Johnson), who stunned the field in the Equinox final for trotting colts and geldings by going gate to wire for his maiden win in 1:58:4; Rose Run Hooligan (George Napolitano Jr., Rene Allard), who shipped in from Canada to trot 1:53:3, the fastest time of the week, in a condition victory on Saturday night; and P L Conjure (Tyler Buter, Tyler Raymer), who followed up back-to-back wins at Yonkers with a scorching condition win on Saturday night in 1:54:1.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: MISS WAPWALLOPEN
The mare had been struggling of late, but, with Mike Simons in the bike, she showed her poise in a claiming handicap trot Tuesday night by sneaking up to win at 50-1, paying off $103.00 to win.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: MATT KAKALEY
It’s been another solid week for the meet’s leading driver. Now over 250 wins on the season at Pocono, Matt ripped off five victories on Friday, including two scores in the Equinox finals.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: RENE ALLARD
The Canadian trainer made his first appearance at Pocono this summer, and he’s been steadily racking up wins ever since. He picked up big training victories this week on both Friday and Saturday.
That will do it for this week, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
