Aug 28, 2019 | Racing
August 24 to August 30, 2019
The month of August is winding down and the stakes racing continues at a hot and heavy pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. And it seems that whenever those stakes races take place, top horsemen and horsewomen also bring some of their best overnight horses to Pocono as well, spicing up those races. Let’s take a look at all that transpired in the past racing week at Pocono and hand out some Weekly Awards along the way.
PACER OF THE WEEK: REBEL ROUSER
Early in the year, it was shaping up to be a monster season for this five-year-old gelding. Rebel Rouser came out of the gate in 2019 on top of his game with wins in seven out of ten races, all within the first four months of the year. But an injury sidelined him from April until August, stunting his formidable momentum. In his first start back at Yonkers on August 5, he went off as a heavy favorite and led until late but then broke stride, which sent him back to qualifiers.
When he returned to action on August 18 at Pocono, he was met with some skepticism from the bettors, going off at 6-1 as he faced a field of winners of four to seven condition pacers. But he found his old form in a big way, going gate to wire from an outside post for a victory on a sloppy track in a career-best 1:51. The bandwagon was full when he faced the same class on Sunday night at Pocono, as Rebel Rouser went off as a 3-5 favorite with an inside post in a field of eight.
Even though track conditions were ideal this time around, driver Yannick Gingras didn’t have to ask the gelding for nearly as much speed in the early going as was the case the previous week. Nobody challenged Rebel Rouser as he coasted to the half in just 57 seconds. That left him with plenty in the tank late when challenged by pocket horse Daamericansky, and Rebel Rouser, trained by Bob Cleary, held him off by a neck for his second straight win at Pocono, this one coming in 1:53:1.
Other top pacers this week include: Photobombr Hanover (Simon Allard, Tom Fanning), who followed up a win at Harrah’s with a condition victory on Saturday night at Pocono in 1:51:2; Torrid Bromac (Pat Berry, Ted Sulseki), whose claiming win on Saturday night in a career-best 1:50:4 gave him victories in three of his last four races; and Artful Bliss (Anthony Napolitano, Marta Piotrow), who rolled to his fourth straight $7,500 claiming victory on Monday afternoon, winning in 1:52:2.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: RAINBOWINTHEWEST
Hailing from the barn of trainer Robert Rougeaux III, this four-year-old mare spent a lot of the season at The Meadows, and made it up as high as the Open Handicap level. Her first try at Pocono was a respectable third-place finish in a $14,000 condition trot. She dropped down a notch the following week and picked up a solid win as a heavy favorite in 1:54 at the $12,500 level, posting a career-best time in the process.
Feeling confident off that win, Rainbowinthewest jumped back up in class again to the $14,000 condition trotters on Sunday night. The big difference this time around was, after having the inside #1 post in her previous two journeys at Pocono, she was saddled with the outside post in a field of eight on Sunday night. That, along with the move back up in class, was probably why she was let go at odds of 9-1, well behind the 3-5 favorite Tag Up And Go.
Driver Marcus Miller, unconcerned by the odds or the post, sent Rainbowinthewest flying to the front in the early part of the mile. Tag Up And Go came at her with a strong first-over move, while Bucketlist Hanover, getting a garden trip, took aim on the inside late. But the mare had an answer for them all, gutting out the final strides to win a tight one. She managed the mile in 1:54:1 this time around, giving her two straight impressive condition victories on the Pocono oval.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: Eurobond (Andy Miller, Julie Miller), who followed up a win at Harrah’s with a condition victory at Pocono on Sunday night, posting the week’s fastest trotting time of 1:51:3 in the process; Beyond Kronos (Tim Tetrick, Jim Campbell), whose Stallion Series win over other two-year-old trotting colts and geldings was his third straight and came in the fastest stakes time (1:54:4) of the night; and High Blue (George Napolitano Jr., Joe Pavia Jr.), who rattled off his second straight claiming handicap win on Tuesday and did so in 1:54:2, matching a career-best time.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: FASHION WINNER
With Marcus Miller in the bike, this trotter rallied for a condition victory on the Monday afternoon program at 26-1, paying out $55.60 on a $2-win ticket.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: SIMON ALLARD
Simon went on a tear on Saturday, winning six out of the 14 races on the card, with only of those victories coming aboard a betting favorite.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: JIM CAMPBELL
Campbell’s impressive contingent of two-year-old trotters include Sunday night Stallion Series winner Beyond Kronos and Sire Stakes winner Real Cool Sam, who remained unbeaten after seven races.
That will do it for this week at Pocono, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
Aug 14, 2019 | Racing
August 10 to August 16, 2019
This week’s harness racing action at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono was highlighted by stakes action on Sunday night. There were three divisions of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and four splits of Stallion Series, all for three-year-old filly pacers. It was fun to watch the best in class for that group go at it and there were some sizzling performances, with the Sire Stakes winning effort of Treacherous Reign in 1:49:3 being the fastest of the lot. On top of that, the overnight racing at Pocono was stellar as usual, as you’ll be able to tell from this edition of the Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: SPRINGSTEEN
We have a lot of fun with this horse because of his rocking namesake, but the talent is pretty impressive as well. The highlight of his three-year-old season in 2018 was an upset win in the Max Hempt Memorial Pace at Pocono. Springsteen has been lightly raced this year by his trainer Rene Allard since facing the toughest aged pacers in the Ben Franklin Pace in June. But he came back off a month layoff with a condition victory in the slop on July 28 in 1:51:2.
That victory came against horses roughly his same age. But on Saturday night, the four-year-old stallion had to go up against a $17,500 condition group with several horses that had a few years more of racing experience. Such a race can often trip up younger horses, but Springsteen still was made the even-money favorite leaving from post position in a field of six. He stayed away from an early speed duel, eventually following the cover of Ideal Feeling.
He didn’t stay behind the cover long, as driver Simon Alllard sent him for a quick three-wide move at about the 5/8-mile marker. Springsteen grabbed the advantage and opened up an insurmountable lead. Without any urging in the lane, he coasted home a winner by 2 ¼ lengths over Black Chevron. The winning time was 1:49, the fastest of the week at Pocono. You can have fun with Springsteen’s name, but there is no denying that he brings the game to match it.
Other top pacers this week include: Beach Memories (Anthony Napolitano, Daniel Maier), who won his second straight claiming handicap pace on Saturday night, getting it done in 1:50:1; Tom’s Arockin (George Napolitano Jr., Antonia Storer), who handled a claiming handicap group on Saturday night in 1:50:2 for his second straight victory; and Artful Bliss (Anthony Napolitano, Marta Piotrow), who continued to dominate the $7,500 claiming group with his third straight victory on Monday in 1:54:3.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: THE LAST CHAPTER
This week’s top trotting purse of $17,500 was on the line in a condition on Sunday night. It attracted some excellent competitors, including million-dollar earner Zooming, Tag Up And Go, who was fresh off an Open win at Tioga, and the talented mare Satin Dancer. But it was The Last Chapter, a five-year-old gelding trained by Eddie Hart, who went off as the 3-2 favorite in the field of nine. The gelding came into the race with a break of his stride in his previous start at the Meadowlands, which was a bit of a cause for concern.
Prior to that break, however, he was hitting the board with consistency, and he hoped to regain that form on Sunday night. Leaving from post position #3, The Last Chapter left nothing to chance. Driver David Miller had him leaving alertly and he assumed the lead before the field made the first turn. Miller then did a nice job rating the pace, which was no easy task considering that Annapolis Hall came at the leader aggressively with a first-over move on the back stretch.
The Last Chapter was able to repel that challenge and still led at the top of the lane. But his work was far from done, as Zooming lurked in the pocket ready to pounce. The energy that the leader saved early in the mile came in handy down the stretch. The gelding trotted home powerfully without ever giving Zooming a real chance to get past. The Last Chapter came home a winner by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:53:3, which was the fastest trotting time turned in at Pocono this week.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: Yuge (George Napolitano Jr., Ed Lohmeyer), who handled a rugged condition field on Sunday night in 1:54:3; Grandma Heidi (Marcus Miller, Erv Miller), a three-year-old filly who picked up her second win in her last three on Monday with a condition victory in a career-best 1:57:4; and Divine Spirit (Eric Carlson, Brett Pelling), who rallied for a condition win on Tuesday in a career-best 1:54.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: ROLLIN ABOUT
Overlooked in a claiming pace from a #9 post position, this gelding defied odds of 65-1 on Saturday night to pick up a victory that paid off $140.20 on a $2-win ticket.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: GEORGE NAPOLITANO JR.
The meet’s leading driver became the first driver to pick up 200 wins in the 2019 Pocono campaign with the last of his four victories on Saturday night.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: DANIEL MAIER
The Maier barn has been one of the most productive on the grounds at Pocono in recent weeks, and the hits kept coming on Saturday night with a training double.
That will do it for this week at Pocono, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
May 22, 2019 | Racing
May 18-24, 2019
This week’s action at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono contained our first taste of both Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series action, while the Great Northeast Open series continued as well with the male pacers on Saturday night. There was a little bit of everything for the faithful on tap, including sudden thunderstorms, a dead heat for a win, and, of course, plenty of fantastic performances. Let’s take a look at the best of those by handing out the Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: ATTA BOY DAN
The hot streak for this 10-year-old gelding began on his way out of the Meadows on April 27 when he finished in a dead heat for the win in a condition pace in 1:51:1. He then came to Pocono and scored in a claiming handicap pace on May 11, winning that one in come-from-behind fashion in 1:51:4. On Saturday night he was at it again in that $30,000 to $40,000 claiming handicap group, only this time he was making his first start for trainer Hunter Oakes after he had been claimed in the previous race.
In this race, Atta Boy Dan was saddled with the outside post in a field of seven, which was probably why he was only the 8-5 second choice on the board. Driver Eric Goodell decided he wanted his horse on the lead, and the gelding was able to achieve that with a swooping move around the first turn. On the back stretch, Atta Boy Dan faced down a first-over challenge from 6-5 betting favorite Dancin Hill, which he rebuffed with extreme prejudice.
The work from Atta Boy Dan was far from done, as Concur and Boogie Nights, a pair of long shots who had been saving ground, both came charging up to challenge in the stretch. But the veteran answered the call by gutting out the win by 1 ¼ lengths over Concur in 1:51:4. At age ten, a lot of standardbreds are winding down. But Atta Boy Dan is on a blistering stretch right now and is showing no signs of giving his opponents a break and letting up.
Honorable mention on the pacing side goes to: Rock The Town (George Napolitano Jr., Antonia Storer), who moved up in class to win a claiming handicap pace on Saturday night, his second straight victory since arriving from Delaware, in a career-best 1:50:4; Rodeo Rock (Eric Goodell, Robert Cleary), who tore it up for a victory in the Great Northeast Open pacing series on Saturday night in 1:49, a new career-best and the fastest pacing time of the 2019 Pocono meet to date; and Captain Crunch (Scott Zeron, Nancy Johansson), who returned to start off his three-year-old season at the scene of his Breeders Crown triumph and put on a show in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes victory on Sunday night, matching a career-best with a 1:49:1 mile in the slop.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: DI OGGI
Sunday night is usually the night when trotters take center stage at Pocono, but this past week, the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series for three-year-old pacers highlighted the action. Still, there were some outstanding trots that would normally have been features, including a condition trot with a purse of #17,500 early in the evening. It was a top field of seven, six of which have been campaigning regularly at Pocono this year with high levels of success.
But it was Di Oggi, who had spent most of his time this year at the Meadowlands for trainer Ake Svanstedt, who went off as the 4-5 favorite. He came in on a streak of three second-place finishes, which included his lone start at Pocono this year when he came up short of Tag Up And Go. In this mile, Di Oggi, a five-year-old stallion, left from post position #5 but didn’t get away quickly. He was forced to grind away first-over in the sloppy conditions, dueling away with Tyson, who set the pace.
After wearing down Tyson, Di Oggi, also driven by Svanstedt, then had to deal with Lucky Colby, a 55-1 long shot who hugged the pylons most of the race and then came on strong late in the mile with a big move. But Di Oggi was up to the test, holding tight to beat Lucky Colby by a neck. His winning time of 1:54:1 was just shy of his career-best and was the fastest trotting time of the week at Pocono, despite the fact that it came on a sloppy track.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: CR Blazin Beauty (Anthony Napolitano, Jose Godinez), a mare who beat the boys in a condition trot on Sunday night in 1:55:4 in the off-going; Don (Mike Simons driver and trainer), who captured a tough condition trot on Sunday night in the slop despite it being just his second start of the year, matching a career-best of 1:54:3 in the process; and Explosivebreakaway (Tom Jackson, Fred Grant), who delivered a career-best performance by winning a condition trot on Tuesday in 1:54:2.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: MYSTICAL WYNN
This trotter came rocketing up the passing lane late with Mike Simons in the bike to win a condition at 35-1, paying off a hefty $73.80 on a $2-win ticket.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: ANDREW McCARTHY
McCarthy was on top of his game in his two appearances last week at Pocono, winning five times, including a pair of Stallion Series victories on Sunday night.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: TONY ALAGNA
Alagna seems to always have a deep roster of young talent, and that was proven on Sunday night when his horses took two of the four Stallion Series divisions for three-year-old pacers.
That will do it for this week at Pocono, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
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].
