Turbo Hill impressive in Weiss Series action at Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — With two horses sent off at odds-on, something had to give, and 4-5 Turbo Hill forced 3-5 Sports Legend in behind him early, then sprinted home in 1:51.2 in one of three $15,000 contests in the second preliminary leg of the Bobby Weiss Series for pacing males on Saturday (April 13) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Both favorites won their first Weiss series start and both boiled away from the gate, with Turbo Hill, starting from post three for trainer/driver Hunter Oakes, insisting on early command. This forced Jim Morrill Jr. and Sports Legend, beginning from post five, to settle for the two-hole approaching the :27 first marker. Turbo Hill got a breather to the half in :56.3, and won by 1-3/4 lengths.

Turbo Hill has now won six straight and has eight victories in nine career starts for owner Tom Hill.

The other two winners posted their first tallies in the Weiss Series. First up was Springbridge Proud, who equaled his mark of 1:54 in his second seasonal start. Anthony Napolitano utilized the Pocono Pike with the pocket-sitting winner, holding off Major Escape by a length for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership combine of Thestable Springbridge, Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and Adriano Sorella.

Napolitano’s brother, George, accounted for the other division with first-time Weiss starter American Admiral, coming in off a victory at Yonkers. The American Ideal colt burst out of third on the far turn and gained into a :27.2 last quarter to earn a new speed badge of 1:52.4. He was three-quarters of a length ahead of Division Bell for trainer Andrew Harris and owners William, Ian, and James Fleming.

The $21,500 event Soho Wallstreet A survived hard usage both early and late to post a neck victory in 1:50.3. The winner of $281,764 was parked between horses in a early and then clicked off :26.1 quarter with fractions of :53.1 and 1:21.3. Driven by Pat Berry, Soho Wallstreet A held off Mariner Seelster by a neck, with Captain Deo just photoed out for second place.

Soho Wallstreet A is trained by Scott Di Domenico for 4 G Racing Stable.

In the opening race of the evening, Hitman Hill, who was third in both the Hempt and Adios finals last year after winning a preliminary, went a huge mile in his second start as a 4-year-old. He stopped the clock in 1:50.1, which is fastest mile of the young season here.

The gelding was used early, moved back out on the far turn, and generated good late speed for driver Hunter Oakes to win by 1-1/4 lengths for trainer Chris Oakes and the ownership of Tom Hill and Northfork Racing Stable.

Thirteen more horses were claimed for $224,750 during the Saturday night card, raising the seasonal total after 14 cards to 78 claims, resulting in a total cash transfer of $1,349,250.

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