Wilkes-Barre, PA – Lunar, extremely hard-used to gain the lead in front of the stands the first time, dug in gamely making his second pass under the wire and won the $16,000 claiming handicap pace in 1:49.1 on Sunday night at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pocono.
Lunar, the favorite, was looped out of the gate by recent frequent winner Belmont Major N, but driver Jack Pelling pressed on with him past a :26.3 quarter and made the lead at the three-eighths. Lunar went on to sapping middle splits of :53.3 and 1:21.2, and Hammering Hank tried to take advantage of the hot fractions from second-over, but the brave Lunar maintained his advantage, which was a neck at the wire.
The Sweet Lou gelding won the feature for trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Carmen Iannacone, but they did see Lunar changing barns via the claiming box for $38,000.
There were two claiming paces, both carrying a purse of $15,000, carded for horses priced just below the feature horses. The first was taken by 19-1 prospect Cruzin America in what was not only a blanket finish, but it was a very small blanket, too – three-quarters of a length separated the entirety of the six-horse field at the finish. Cruzin America, an American Ideal gelding, got a nice trip second-over and took the victory by a neck in 1:51.3 for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Brandon Presto, and Meredith Farms LLC.
In the other division, Bullville Stephano, a son of Artiscape, was a 1:50.4 winner. Anthony Napolitano made the lead before the quarter, backed off at the half, then scurried home in :53.4, needing all of that to withstand pocket sitter Downrightdelicious by three parts of a length. Owner Todd’s Auto and trainer Lou Pena recorded their second straight win with the pacer, but they won’t be notching a third, as the winner was claimed for $25,000. (On the other hand, Todd’s and Pena were the successful claimants on feature winner Lunar.)
Jack Pelling and Anthony Napolitano both steered three winners on the card. Napolitano, who tripled for the second straight day, guided two winners for trainer Noel Daley; Pelling combined with trainer Hunter Oakes for the fastest mile of the program on both gaits, with feature winner Lunar and with first-time U.S. winner Demone Deiventi IT, who indeed was a demon in a 1:52.2 mile.
Pennsylvania All-Stars races for 2-year-olds highlight the final two cards of the week, both beginning at 1 p.m., with pacing colts set for Monday (July 7) and trotting fillies headlining the Tuesday (July 8) action. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.