Photo: Curtis Salonick
By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Noses, closers, and upsets were the order of the day at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Sunday evening, especially in the two feature races.
In the top event, a $15,000 trot, the Southwind Frank gelding Songs In The Wind, who had been better than fifth at the quarter only once on his charted lines, wound up in the pocket, behind slow fractions of :28.2, :59.1, and 1:28.1. The tempo, and the competition, certainly picked up in the stretch, with Songs In The Wind using the famed Pocono Pike to win a four-horse photo in a career-best 1:56.2, himself coming home in :27.4 for trainer Richard Titter, co-owner with Susan Titter. For driver Braxten Boyd, the $51.20 mutuel was his fifth “bomber” ($50+) of the meet, the youngster showing he can do a lot with horses not particularly fancied.
International Gift swung widest and was just a nose off Songs In The Wind and a half length ahead of pacesetter The Moment, who in turn was a neck ahead of fourth-place finisher and favorite Sister Diane.
In a $14,000 co-featured pace for distaffs, it was the Stay Hungry sophomore filly Shanghai Star who shone brightest by a nose, the 7-1 winner edging out 47-1 maiden American Starlight while taking a new mark of 1:53.1. In this back-and-forth event, Shanghai Star was the first leader and then the fifth and final leader, backing out from the rail and coming off American Starlight’s cover for trainer Mark Ford and All Star Racing Inc.
Shanghai Star was the fifth success story of the evening for driver Matt Kakaley, and watching him and George Napolitano Jr. battle at the top of the standings is like watching a heavyweight prizefight, with Napolitano racking up five scores when Kakaley was at The Meadows Saturday, and then Kakaley answering that punch with a five-spot of his own Sunday. Only one of Kakaley’s five winners was favored, and that one by less than $100 to win.
Matt reduced George’s lead to 169-166; Napolitano himself arrived at Pocono after doubling at Philly in the afternoon and drove in the last two races, beaten a total of 6½ feet (a horse is about eight feet long) from sweeping the Late Double.
There were four races Sunday that were won by a nose, one by a head, and another two by a neck. And there was only one horse leading at the three-quarters and going on to win. It was an unusual night.
Things may return more to normal during Monday and Tuesday cards starting at 1 p.m. Free Pocono programs will be available at www.phha.org.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Noses, closers, and upsets were the order of the day at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Sunday evening, especially in the two feature races.
In the top event, a $15,000 trot, the Southwind Frank gelding Songs In The Wind, who had been better than fifth at the quarter only once on his charted lines, wound up in the pocket, behind slow fractions of :28.2, :59.1, and 1:28.1. The tempo, and the competition, certainly picked up in the stretch, with Songs In The Wind using the famed Pocono Pike to win a four-horse photo in a career-best 1:56.2, himself coming home in :27.4 for trainer Richard Titter, co-owner with Susan Titter. For driver Braxten Boyd, the $51.20 mutuel was his fifth “bomber” ($50+) of the meet, the youngster showing he can do a lot with horses not particularly fancied.
International Gift swung widest and was just a nose off Songs In The Wind and a half length ahead of pacesetter The Moment, who in turn was a neck ahead of fourth-place finisher and favorite Sister Diane.
In a $14,000 co-featured pace for distaffs, it was the Stay Hungry sophomore filly Shanghai Star who shone brightest by a nose, the 7-1 winner edging out 47-1 maiden American Starlight while taking a new mark of 1:53.1. In this back-and-forth event, Shanghai Star was the first leader and then the fifth and final leader, backing out from the rail and coming off American Starlight’s cover for trainer Mark Ford and All Star Racing Inc.
Shanghai Star was the fifth success story of the evening for driver Matt Kakaley, and watching him and George Napolitano Jr. battle at the top of the standings is like watching a heavyweight prizefight, with Napolitano racking up five scores when Kakaley was at The Meadows Saturday, and then Kakaley answering that punch with a five-spot of his own Sunday. Only one of Kakaley’s five winners was favored, and that one by less than $100 to win.
Matt reduced George’s lead to 169-166; Napolitano himself arrived at Pocono after doubling at Philly in the afternoon and drove in the last two races, beaten a total of 6½ feet (a horse is about eight feet long) from sweeping the Late Double.
There were four races Sunday that were won by a nose, one by a head, and another two by a neck. And there was only one horse leading at the three-quarters and going on to win. It was an unusual night.
Things may return more to normal during Monday and Tuesday cards starting at 1 p.m. Free Pocono programs will be available at www.phha.org.
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