Wilkes Barre, PA – The Roll With Joe gelding Benji’s Best, who snapped Atta Boy Dan’s five-race winning streak in the top claiming handicap pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono last Saturday (Aug. 3), handled the jump to the $21,500 conditioned company this Saturday (Aug. 10), winning despite a first-over trip in 1:50.4.

Benji’s Best made it four straight with a win in the feature at Pocono. Curtis Salonick Photo.

Anthony Napolitano, who had four wins on the night as did his brother George, was fifth as Another Daily Copy took the field to the quarter in :27, then yielded to Soho Wallstreet A, who fronted the group to the half in :54.4. Benji’s Best moved first-over and gained steadily to a 1:23.3 three-quarters, then continued his relentless grind, made the lead in the stretch, then held off the Pocono Pike charge of Another Daily Copy by a head, with Soho Wallstreet A staying on for third.

It was the fourth straight victory for Benji’s Best, who was claimed for $25,000 on July 27 by the partnership of Ameer Najor and trainer Dan Maier and now has earned $20,750 in his two starts for them and $150,769 lifetime.

Atta Boy Dan bounced right back from having his winning streak snapped, winning in the $20,000 claiming handicap pacing event in 1:49.4. Despite being outside past the three-eighths mark in making the lead from the outside post six for Anthony Napolitano, Atta Boy Dan had enough left late to withstand inside-shooting longshot Lucbobski, with Pembroke Wildcat third behind the winning 10-year-old Western Terror gelding.

Atta Boy Dan now has 12 victories in 23 seasonal starts, with earnings of $132,815 in 2019; his lifetime stats show 64 career triumphs and a bankroll of $876,417. He won on Saturday for owner/trainer Antonia Storer, but he was claimed from his ninth straight start (three of them for Storer).