WILKES-BARRE PA – Smokee Mirrors came in from The Meadows for his first start at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on the Tuesday twilight card. The son of Kadabra scratched in off the AE list to get post nine, and was ninth at the half. And despite all that “distance,” Smokee Mirrors was able to sweep his field to win the $15,000 featured trot in 1:58.2.
Smokee Mirrors and driver Anthony Napolitano did get a fast pace behind which to work, and they followed the sweeping Papi Hanover from fourth-over at the 5/8, going three and then four-wide late on the far turn. In the stretch, Papi Hanover made a short lead, but the long wide journey was tiring, and Smokee Mirrors took over late, then withstood by a neck the favored Holiday Hangover, who had been badly shuffled and was closing even wider than the winner. Andrew Harris is handling the training of Smokee Mirrors for owner Robert Key.
In a $14,000 distaff pacing co-feature, for the second straight week Dark Force parlayed an inside trip into a victory, on Tuesday taking a new mark of 1:50.3. Eric Carlson got away third with the Bettor’s Delight mare, sitting behind pacesetting favorite Sidewalk Dancer and pocketsitter Bye Bye Michelle; Sidewalk Dancer went fast fractions and seemed to blunt any late kick from Bye Bye Michelle, but Dark Force was steered to the deep Pocono Pike and responded sharply to overhaul the chalk by a neck. Ross Croghan trains the winner for Let It Ride Stables Inc.
Simon Allard drove five winners to head the Pocono sulkysitters during the Tuesday card, the last of which was $81.20 bomber Shady Secret, who was all alone most of the last half.