WILKES-BARRE PA – Springsteen had his third straight “#1” at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday night, grinding his way past Western Joe to take the $21,500 featured pace in 1:49 and add to a great evening for the brothers Allard.
Springsteen, a four-year-old son of Rock N Roll Hanover, was away fourth as Rebellious cut a :27 quarter and the favored (even money vs. Springsteen’s 6-5) Western Joe brushed past him to hit the half in :54.3. Springsteen came first-up at the 5/8 and gained on Western Joe to and past the 1:21.4 three-quarters, and he finally pressured his main foe into submission in deep stretch. Western Joe held on well to miss only a half length, winning a photo from the inside-shooting Rebellious for second.
In the $20,000 claiming handicap pace, the main question wasn’t whether Atta Boy Dan would win – he did again, on the front end for driver George Napolitano Jr. in 1:50.1, his third straight and eighth of his last nine – but where he would wind up after the race. It turns out it won’t be with trainer Vinnie Fusco Jr. and the P T Stable, for whom he won Saturday, but back with owner Clifford Grundy, who has now claimed him for $40,000 four times in his 11-race streak of being haltered for that top Pocono price.
Atta Boy Dan is 15-11-2-1-$123,450 since coming to Pocono on May 11, 14-for-25 in 2019 (tied for second in wins among North American pacers), and a 66-time winner in a career that has seen the 10-year-old accumulate $896,417.