Wilkes-Barre, PA — The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday (Feb. 27) hosted the third and final preliminary round of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series and driver Anthony Napolitano had six wins on the card, five in claiming preliminaries.

Melanie’s Tedy became the point leader by virtue of a 1:54.3 triumph on Saturday. Curtis Salonick photo.

The horses entered in the section of the series for $25,000-base price horses saw Melanie’s Tedy become the point leader by virtue of a 1:54.3 triumph over sloppy going, joining Glengarry Knight N and Horsing Around as two-time winners in this class.

Glengarry Knight N was second-leading point earner and Horsing Around, despite his double victories, did not even rank in the top nine horses in the totals, as he skipped the first week and now has to hope for defections to get in the $50,000 final.

The possibility of defections is why everyone will focus on the draw for this final so much, in two ways: the series’ rules say no owner or trainer can have more than two horses in any single Game Of Claims final, and seven out of the top point earners were claimed on Saturday.

The unofficial early listing of the top nine is Melanie’s Tedy, Glengarry Knight N, Iammrbrightside N, Captain Nash, Apex Seelster, Union Station and American Rebel (tie), and A Real Miracle and Mississippi Rabbit (tie). Tullow N and Horsing Around are on the bubble. Only three of Saturday’s seven winners are preliminarily on the final list.

Trainer Darren Taneyhill sent out three winners this week (all guided by Napolitano), but only Union Station has a decent chance to return.

The landing strip for the $30,000 final for $15,000-base price horses is a little bit less congested, as on Saturday Sunset Braydon and Royal Heart (the 2020 series winner for this price) posted their second victories in this class, joining Fernado as two-time winners, and that trio ranking 1-2-3 in points from first-named to last. Royal Heart will get to stay with trainer Travis Alexander for another week after being haltered out of the first two legs, but he is one of only two out of the top nine point winners in this class who was not claimed on Saturday.

The unofficial early ranking for this group is Sunset Braydon, Royal Heart, Fernado, Busboy Hanover and Thisjetsabookin (tie), Cash Is King, Just Plain Loco, and Polak A and Shoreview (tie); Best Trick Ever and White Hair Rocks are the AEs.

Obviously the claiming box was rocking and rolling again on Saturday, with 20 horses taken for $537,500 in advance of these finals, bringing the season totals to 117 claims for $2,220,375. And that’s after just five cards of the 2021 season.

Those figures should be added to on Sunday, when the final preliminary for $10,000- and $7,500-base price horses will be conducted during a 5 p.m. card, with program pages available at www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.