Highalator added to his impressive lifetime record at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday afternoon, as he is now 17 for 28 in his career at the mountain oval after a 1:50.1 victory in the Saturday (May 15) pacing feature.
Driver Rick Still did not try to outgun the outside leavers with the winning son of Somebeachsomewhere as they raced to a :26.3 quarter; he left him on the outside and gradually got the top before the :54.4 midway clocking. Second-choice Vettel N came up to challenge the leader before the 1:21.4 three-quarters, but Highlator remained his usual game self to run his lifetime totals to 41 wins in 92 starts and earnings of $654,228 for trainer Jenny Bier, who is co-owner with Joann Dombeck and Midsize Construction Inc.
San Domino A and Marloe Hanover proved victorious in Sunday afternoon s (May 9) co-featured $16,200 pacing events at Harrah s Philadelphia.
In the week s top event for pacing males, San Domino A and driver George Napolitano Jr. angled out of the pocket to challenge pacesetter Pyro at the end of a :27.1 first quarter, but ultimately were forced back into the pocket with a lap to go. The eight-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding was boxed up the backstretch in pursuit of a :26.4 third sectional, but reached through the open stretch to prevail by a nose over Pyro in 1:50.4. Carlisimo rallied off cover for third, two lengths back.
The A Rocknroll Dance mare Lady Rocknrolla A was tighter in her second start at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, winning a $11,200 feature for pacing distaffs in 1:54.2 during a soggy Sunday (May 9) card where the temperature did not exceed 45 degrees.
The recent Canadian import and driver James MacDonald were intent on setting the pace in this event, with the favourite putting second-choice Royaltywestho in behind her by the :27.2 quarter. A breather to the half in :57.3 was followed by a challenge from Topville Angelina nearing, at and past the 1:25.4 three-quarters, but Lady Rocknrolla A dug in gamely to defeat that challenger for trainer Carmen Auciello and owner Stephen Klunowski.
In the middle of a “five race win streak” on Monday (May 10) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, driver George Napolitano Jr. won with the Explosive Matter gelding Lindys Big Bang in 1:55.2 in taking the faster of two $12,800 claiming handicap trot features.
Napolitano Jr., the track’s perennial leading driver who won the last two races here on Sunday, sent Lindys Big Bang to the lead under the wire for the first time, and the pair drew away comfortably late in the opener for the meet’s leading trainer and the horse s owner Gilbert Garcia-Herrera. Napolitano Jr. then went to take the second and third races on Monday in winning five consecutive races over two cards at the mountain track.
Thisisshe and Stop Resistin both scored convincing engine victories in the $12,800 co-featured claiming handicap trots on Monday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
The My MVP mare Thisisshe rolled to her third-consecutive win, with George Napolitano Jr. sending the sharp distaff to the front and holding the advantage to the wire in 1:55. For trainer Dan Maier and Racing To Win Stable, Thisisshe was a short but profitable visitor to their string–they claimed the mare last week for $26,400 including her mare allowance, and this week she was taken for a $28,800 claiming price, thus adding $2,400 via price and $6,400 via purse.