WILKES-BARRE PA – The Sportswriter pacer Rhett Seelster and the Explosive Matter trotting mare Perth Angel De Vie both came from out of the pocket to win their gait’s respective $17,000 features on Tuesday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
Rhett Seelster had an unusual journey – bothered by a roughgaited horse enough to get an “i” before the quarter, then out first-over at the half -- but he was able to get into the two-hole behind Red Power on the far turn when the previous pocket horse backed up. Anthony Napolitano and his horse got a small breather, then came out again and caught Red Power (driven by Anthony’s brother George, who won four races on the day) by a nose while reducing the pacer’s record to 1:50.4. Antonia Storer handles the training of the winner for owner Daniel Maier.
It’s been quite a 24 hours for horseman Andrew Harris: the trainer of winners over $15 million since 2016 sent out None Bettor A, who won the Quillen Memorial at Harrington on Monday in 1:49.4, and then on Tuesday guided the Somebeachsomewhere filly Silver Tail from out of the clouds to post his first driving success in twelve years, in only his second start back since giving up sulkysitting in favor of training. Harris, who lost his wife Amanda to cancer last year, is 37, and is a threat to post his 1000th training victory some time in the first half of next year – how many sulky triumphs he’ll have by then we’ll have to wait and see.