WILKES-BARRE PA – There were three $15,500 divisions of the top-level claiming handicap trot featured on the Tuesday afternoon card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
In the first division, Nasey was made the 7-5 favorite despite his last six lines showing “break / win / break / win / break / win.” This week the Pilgrim’s Chuckie gelding was “win,” making the lead soon after the first turn for driver Braxten Boyd and maintained a length advantage over pocketsitter Truman Jr. Hanover to the wire in 1:54.3. Tee Wine trains the always-interesting trotter for Jemaxpo Racing Stable LLC.
The second division also went in 1:54.3, and like the third division produced a very close finish. The Archangel gelding Lexus Ranger is now two-for-two over the local oval for driver Jim Pantaleano, trainer Pierre Paradis, and Elite Racing LLC., able to come up the inside from third-in to beat both second-place Unresolved Debt (second-over) and third-place Its A Horse (pocketsitter) by a head.
The photo finish unit was also needed in the 1:55.3 third division, where Simon Got Lucky equaled his lifetime mark after closing from sixth at the three-quarters to defeat pacesetter Town Victor by a nose, with pocketsitting railshooter Lady’s Image (who was claimed for $30,000) just a head away from taking it all. Allard, who topped all drivers with four wins on the day, guided the Bar Hopping gelding for trainer Mark Akins and A 1 Racing.
Racing resumes at Pocono on Saturday at 1 p.m. with an outstanding card of fast-class horses; on Sunday at 6 p.m. the Pennsylvania “glamour division,” the three-year-old pacing colts, begin a two-week stay at the mountain oval with three $30,000 divisions of their Pennsylvania All-Stars event. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.