Photo: Curtis Salonick
By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Confident Volo won his second straight preliminary in the Bobby Weiss Series for sophomore trotting males Monday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, but Captain Vodka earned the major honors on the day by beating two other first-round winners and taking a new lifetime mark of 1:54.4 in another of three $17,500 Series events.
Captain Vodka, a Captain Corey gelding trained by Robert Baggitt Jr for himself, Christine Baggitt, and J L Sadowsky LLC, had a three-race win streak over two years broken with a hard-luck two-move fifth in the first Weiss leg. But on Monday he rejoined the win column, being parked to a :27.2 opener for command, after which driver Ridge Warren was able to back off the half to :57.2.
The pace sped up to a 1:25.4 three-quarters, and through the stretch Captain Vodka absolutely left no doubt of his supremacy this day, winning by 3 3/4 lengths over two other first-leg winners: Phoebus Hanover was second, and the previously-undefeated Dilly Hanover third after racing inside and appearing in tight quarters in the lane.
Confident Volo is now unbeaten in three 2026 starts after winning in 1:55.4, with identical back quarters of :28.3. The Bar Hopping gelding, second choice in the betting, was quite good but he also literally “got the breaks,” as five of seven rivals miscued, including wagering choices ranked 1-3-4-5. Tyler Buter, defending Pocono driving champion and ahead again this year, was in the sulky for trainer Todd Buter and Oldford Racing LLC.
The other Weiss section went to series newcomer King Of The Wind, who was five-wide early and on the rim until the three-eighths before taking control of the throttle. Driver Anthony Napolitano kept the Walner gelding going on the point, withstanding favored Bee Positive by three parts of a length in a lifetime best 1:55.1 for hot trainer Joe Bongiorno and El Dorado Stables.
“Anthony Nap” got a tremendous performance from the Cattlewash mare Worklifebalance, a New Jersey heroine last year at three, to end Raspalia N’s six-race Stateside win streak in 1:50 in a $17,500 pace for distaffs. The field was five in – three out at the :27 quarter, with Worklifebalance the last to the front approaching the :55.1 half. Raspalia N was on the winner’s back to and beyond the 1:22.1 three-quarters and fought on gamely, but Worklifebalance ended the win skein of her foe by a head for trainer Noel Daley, co-owner with KDP Stable LLC.
Raspalia N was knocked down to the shortest odds possible, and in upsetting that rival Worklifebalance paid $51.80 to win, combining with first race winner Xmarxthespot ($91.60) to give Pocono its first 2026 day of two $50+ win prices.
Many-time Pocono champion George Napolitano Jr. drove three winners on the card, including two for the meet’s leading trainer and only conditioner with a pair of Monday victories, Per Engblom. Driving doubles were recorded by Simon Allard, Braxten Boyd, Anthony Napolitano, and Ridge Warren.
The Weiss Series fillies will race their second preliminary round on the Tuesday 1 p.m. card, with four divisions of trotters and three of pacers looking to earn spots in their $50,000 Weiss Championships at the end of April. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha,org.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Confident Volo won his second straight preliminary in the Bobby Weiss Series for sophomore trotting males Monday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, but Captain Vodka earned the major honors on the day by beating two other first-round winners and taking a new lifetime mark of 1:54.4 in another of three $17,500 Series events.
Captain Vodka, a Captain Corey gelding trained by Robert Baggitt Jr for himself, Christine Baggitt, and J L Sadowsky LLC, had a three-race win streak over two years broken with a hard-luck two-move fifth in the first Weiss leg. But on Monday he rejoined the win column, being parked to a :27.2 opener for command, after which driver Ridge Warren was able to back off the half to :57.2.
The pace sped up to a 1:25.4 three-quarters, and through the stretch Captain Vodka absolutely left no doubt of his supremacy this day, winning by 3 3/4 lengths over two other first-leg winners: Phoebus Hanover was second, and the previously-undefeated Dilly Hanover third after racing inside and appearing in tight quarters in the lane.
Confident Volo is now unbeaten in three 2026 starts after winning in 1:55.4, with identical back quarters of :28.3. The Bar Hopping gelding, second choice in the betting, was quite good but he also literally “got the breaks,” as five of seven rivals miscued, including wagering choices ranked 1-3-4-5. Tyler Buter, defending Pocono driving champion and ahead again this year, was in the sulky for trainer Todd Buter and Oldford Racing LLC.
The other Weiss section went to series newcomer King Of The Wind, who was five-wide early and on the rim until the three-eighths before taking control of the throttle. Driver Anthony Napolitano kept the Walner gelding going on the point, withstanding favored Bee Positive by three parts of a length in a lifetime best 1:55.1 for hot trainer Joe Bongiorno and El Dorado Stables.
“Anthony Nap” got a tremendous performance from the Cattlewash mare Worklifebalance, a New Jersey heroine last year at three, to end Raspalia N’s six-race Stateside win streak in 1:50 in a $17,500 pace for distaffs. The field was five in – three out at the :27 quarter, with Worklifebalance the last to the front approaching the :55.1 half. Raspalia N was on the winner’s back to and beyond the 1:22.1 three-quarters and fought on gamely, but Worklifebalance ended the win skein of her foe by a head for trainer Noel Daley, co-owner with KDP Stable LLC.
Raspalia N was knocked down to the shortest odds possible, and in upsetting that rival Worklifebalance paid $51.80 to win, combining with first race winner Xmarxthespot ($91.60) to give Pocono its first 2026 day of two $50+ win prices.
Many-time Pocono champion George Napolitano Jr. drove three winners on the card, including two for the meet’s leading trainer and only conditioner with a pair of Monday victories, Per Engblom. Driving doubles were recorded by Simon Allard, Braxten Boyd, Anthony Napolitano, and Ridge Warren.
The Weiss Series fillies will race their second preliminary round on the Tuesday 1 p.m. card, with four divisions of trotters and three of pacers looking to earn spots in their $50,000 Weiss Championships at the end of April. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha,org.
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