Wilkes-Barre, PA – Tony Beltrami went down the road and powered first-over to win both $10,000 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Trot on Sunday (June 15) at Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Pocono Downs.
Beltrami delivered 5-2 third choice All Rise to victory with a front-stepping 1:57.1 effort in the first AHDC Trot. Clearing the lead from post five, All Rise cut a sensible clip of :28, :57.4 and 1:27 before getting confronted by any challengers. Keystone Thunder (driven by Joe Lee) tried to apply pressure first-over but spun for home evenly while others narrowed in on the leader. All Rise clung to a diminishing lead and maintained command to the beam to win by a neck over 8-5 favorite Hunters Gal (Yogi Sheridan), who rallied from second-over for second. Lionhead (Frank Tsipouras) closed for third and Steel (Tony Ciuffetelli), off a pocket trip, finished fourth.
Deborah Daguet trains All Rise, an 8-year-old gelding by Conway Hall, for owner Tony Beltrami. He paid $7.80 to win.
A few races later, Beltrami returned to the winner’s circle after surviving a parked mile on the rim with Just The Facts, who snagged a slim win in 1:56.3. Just The Facts marched forward while wide from fourth through a :28.3 first quarter to press new leader Town Victor (Yogi Sheridan), who circled to the top passing the grandstand. Town Victor cut a :58.1 half and quickened up the backstretch to three-quarters in 1:26.3 before levelling off in the homestretch. Just The Facts continued clawing forward on the outside and grabbed the lead in the lane while withstanding a late push from 23-1 shot Mamy Wata (Paul Minore) to win by a head. Gatsby (Steven Reisenweaver) sat a pocket trip for third while Town Victor, the 6-5 favorite, settled for fourth.
Jaime Morgan trains Just The Facts, a 6-year-old gelding by Explosive Matter, for owner JML Racing LLC. He paid $9 to win.
Earlier in the afternoon, Harrah’s Philadelphia hosted two $7,500 AHDC Pace divisions. And though he just missed in the evening’s trotting action, Yogi Sheridan started Sunday’s AHDC events with a 1:53.2 blowout with 1-9 shot Shore Of Himself. Sheridan fired down the highway through a clip of :27.1, :56.1 and 1:24 before drawing away to a 7-3/4 length victory over A Stud Named Sam (Raymond Burt), who grabbed second from pocket-chaser Fred’s Night (Frank Tsipouras). Walts Natty Datty (Vincent Gargano) closed from last for fourth.
Yogi Sheridan trains Shore Of Himself, a 7-year-old gelding by Western Shore, for owner Beverly Schiffman. He paid $2.20 to win.
Geovany Hernandez won the other AHDC Pace with a pocket-popping score by 3-2 favorite Phelgon in a 1:55 mile. Hernandez yielded to Farmers Beach (Yogi Sheridan) after that one launched from post eight to take the lead past a :28.1 first quarter. Farmers Beach coasted through middle fractions of :57.3 and 1:26 but failed to accelerate turning for home. Hernandez hoisted Phelgon forward and just held the win as first-over Western Bayama (Frank Tsipouras) kicked home for second. Gemini Express (Raymond Burt) finished third off a ground-saving trip and Farmers Beach took fourth.
Geovany Hernandez owns and trains Phelgon, a 7-year-old mare by Rockin Image. She paid $5 to win. AHDC action resumes next Sunday (June 22) with pacing divisions scheduled at Harrah’s Philadelphia and trotting divisions scheduled at Pocono Downs. First-race post time at Harrah’s Philadelphia is 12:40 p.m. (EDT) and 6 p.m. (EDT) at Pocono.