WILKES-BARRE PA – Aggressive handling by driver Eric Carlson helped the Rocknroll Hanover gelding Sweet Rock to defeat 2-5 favorite Springsteen in 1:50.1 to take the $21,500 featured pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Saturday night.
Sweet Rock left hard from the rail and would not let Atta Boy Dan (more on him in a minute) go by early; once putting that rival behind Carlson started to hit the brakes, bringing Springsteen out of last in the field of four to quickly grab the lead past a :27.2 quarter. Springsteen then went his middle half in :53.4 (:54.2, 1:21.1) trying to get away from the field, and indeed he had an open length lead from shortly into the backstretch until turning for home