Photo: Curtis Salonick
By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Nob Hill Flash and Ithaca Hanover swept their three preliminaries in the Game Of Claims Series, winning Monday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania while carrying tags of $20,000 and racing for $10,000 purses. In another section of the multi-pronged GOC, Rock King Deo also made it three-for-three with a win in a $7500 event for horses valued at $11,000. Both of these Game Of Claims series matchups were for pacing horses.
Nob Hill Flash, a Nob Hill High gelding, had won by only a nose in his first two prelims, but on Monday he dusted his opposition by eleven lengths for driver Anthony Napolitano in a lifetime best of 1:52.2 on a chilly day. He also was claimed just before his $20,000 Championship next Monday, the only winner in the six divisions at this level to be haltered; Ithaca Hanover went right back to familiar surroundings after winning his third straight in 1:55.1 while being handled by Jason Bartlett.
Other than the above pair, no horse at this level won more than one preliminary. Included among that quartet was Finally Friday (Tyler Buter, 1:55.2), who returned $86.00 to win, biggest price of the young Pocono season; first-time series starter Global Crush (Anthony Napolitano, 1:54); Waimac Attack N (Matt Kakaley, 1:55); and Aerosmith Hanover (George Napolitano Jr., 1:54.1).
Rock King Deo was in the first of six divisions of the lower-tagged last prelim, and he tacked on his third consecutive success in 1:54.3 for George Napolitano Jr.; he will be going in his $15,000 Championship next Monday for new connections.
Three other Monday winners posted their second consecutive victory in other splits, including McNulty Z Tam (Anthony Napolitano, 1:55.2); among his victims was Charlie’s Dragon, the only winner in his first two prelims who couldn’t add a third on the card. Also doubling up were a pair of horses who went to new surroundings after their wins: Gemini Express, who took a new mark of 1:54 while benefiting from Tyler Buter’s guidance, and Hashtag Money, home in 1:55.4 for driver Simon Allard. Rounding out this level’s winners were Ranaldi (George Napolitano Jr., 1:55) and Twentysevenbelow (Braxten Boyd, 1:55.1).
“George Nap” led all drivers on the day with four wins; his brother Anthony and Tyler Buter each clicked three times. The only trainer to double was Dean Eckley, who handled a winner in each grouping of the GOC.
The overnight horses will be coming out 15 races strong as Pocono ends its racing week Tuesday at 1 p.m.; younger horses will be spotlighted in four $15,000 contests. Free Pocono program pages can be found at www.phha.org.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Nob Hill Flash and Ithaca Hanover swept their three preliminaries in the Game Of Claims Series, winning Monday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania while carrying tags of $20,000 and racing for $10,000 purses. In another section of the multi-pronged GOC, Rock King Deo also made it three-for-three with a win in a $7500 event for horses valued at $11,000. Both of these Game Of Claims series matchups were for pacing horses.
Nob Hill Flash, a Nob Hill High gelding, had won by only a nose in his first two prelims, but on Monday he dusted his opposition by eleven lengths for driver Anthony Napolitano in a lifetime best of 1:52.2 on a chilly day. He also was claimed just before his $20,000 Championship next Monday, the only winner in the six divisions at this level to be haltered; Ithaca Hanover went right back to familiar surroundings after winning his third straight in 1:55.1 while being handled by Jason Bartlett.
Other than the above pair, no horse at this level won more than one preliminary. Included among that quartet was Finally Friday (Tyler Buter, 1:55.2), who returned $86.00 to win, biggest price of the young Pocono season; first-time series starter Global Crush (Anthony Napolitano, 1:54); Waimac Attack N (Matt Kakaley, 1:55); and Aerosmith Hanover (George Napolitano Jr., 1:54.1).
Rock King Deo was in the first of six divisions of the lower-tagged last prelim, and he tacked on his third consecutive success in 1:54.3 for George Napolitano Jr.; he will be going in his $15,000 Championship next Monday for new connections.
Three other Monday winners posted their second consecutive victory in other splits, including McNulty Z Tam (Anthony Napolitano, 1:55.2); among his victims was Charlie’s Dragon, the only winner in his first two prelims who couldn’t add a third on the card. Also doubling up were a pair of horses who went to new surroundings after their wins: Gemini Express, who took a new mark of 1:54 while benefiting from Tyler Buter’s guidance, and Hashtag Money, home in 1:55.4 for driver Simon Allard. Rounding out this level’s winners were Ranaldi (George Napolitano Jr., 1:55) and Twentysevenbelow (Braxten Boyd, 1:55.1).
“George Nap” led all drivers on the day with four wins; his brother Anthony and Tyler Buter each clicked three times. The only trainer to double was Dean Eckley, who handled a winner in each grouping of the GOC.
The overnight horses will be coming out 15 races strong as Pocono ends its racing week Tuesday at 1 p.m.; younger horses will be spotlighted in four $15,000 contests. Free Pocono program pages can be found at www.phha.org.
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