Wilkes-Barre, PA – Matt Zuccarello and Anthony Verruso both delivered betting favorites to the winner’s circle in their respective $10,000 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) trots at Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Pocono Downs on Sunday night (July 13).
Zuccarello persisted through a never-ending duel to get 2-1 chalk Padre over the line first in a 1:56.1 mile. BBC Sportsboy (driven by Bob Hechkoff) swooped to the front and parked Padre to a :27.4 first quarter and through a :56.3 half. Pocket-sitter Snowman Hanover (Peter Gerry) gapped behind the duelers, which gave Zuccarello room to dive to the pylons in the march up the backstretch. BBC Sportsboy cruised to three-quarters in 1:25.1 as Kilauea (Joe Faraldo) tried to grind uncovered on the rim but made little gains on the turn for home. Zuccarello took one more shot with Padre in the stretch and managed to upend BBC Sportsboy by three-quarter lengths at the beam. Kilauea held third and Snowman Hanover took fourth.
James Matheos trains Padre, a 7-year-old gelding by Father Patrick, for owner Jim Ray. He paid $6.20 to win.
Anthony Verruso steered 9-5 favorite Big Limo to a 1:55 victory in the other division of the AHDC.
Eddie L (Bob Hechkoff) attempted to carry the field pillar to post, carving a clip of :27, :56.1 and 1:24.3 as his rivals in behind shuffled for position. Verruso flushed Big Limo to race first-over moving to the half as Six Sticks (Yogi Sheridan) loomed forward on the rim. Big Limo then caught cover as pocket-sitter Cal Miles N Shell (John Calabrese) popped outside to battle with Eddie L on the march to the final turn. Verruso then swung off of cover turning for home and shut the door with a 1-1/4-length win going away. Six Sticks took second with Cal Miles N Shell finishing third and Mamy Wata (Paul Minore) rallying from near last for fourth.
Veronica Spicer trains Big Limo, a 5-year-old gelding by What The Hill, for owner Peter Kleinhans. He paid $5.80 to win.
Harrah’s Philadelphia also hosted a pair of $7,500 AHDC pace events earlier in the day, which started with a 1:54.2 victory by Yogi Sheridan with 1-2 chalk Fearless Fury. Sheridan found a pocket ride behind a speed battle between Ferdinand A (James Slendorn) and Fred’s Night (Frank Tsipouras) to the outside. The two sparred through fractions of :26.4, :54.4 and 1:24.3 while Sheridan’s charge swelled in behind. Once given racetrack, Fearless Fury darted clear to a 4-3/4-length victory with Ferdinand A holding second from Born Brilliant (Matt Zuccarello) closing for third. Bronsons Delight (Bruce Baker) took fourth.
Yogi Sheridan trains Fearless Fury, a 5-year-old gelding by Fear The Dragon, for owner Timothy Crudup. He paid $3 to win.
Raymond Burt won with the only horse not favored in any of the AHDC events on Sunday when he guided 9-5 second choice A Stud Named Sam to a 1:56.3 romp. Burt stayed steady in fourth before as Pacing Major N (Matt Zuccarello) carved sections of :28.1 and :58.2. The tempo remained soft moving to three-quarters, where Burt lifted A Stud Named Sam into flight and barreled forward to seize the lead after three-quarters in 1:27.2. A Stud Named Sam opened his lead all through the turn and in the stretch to cross the line to a 5-1/2-length win. Count Mara (Frank Tsipouras) took second with Bungalow Bill N (Philip Kozak) grabbing third. Persimmon A (James Slendorn), the 1-2 favorite, tired from a pocket trip in fourth.
Raymond Burt owns and trains A Stud Named Sam, a 9-year-old gelding by A Stud Named Sue. He paid $5.60 to win.
AHDC action continues next Sunday (July 20) with pacing divisions at Harrah’s Philadelphia and trotting divisions at Pocono Downs. First-race post time at Harrah’s Philadelphia is 12:40 p.m. (EDT) and 6 p.m. (EDT) at Pocono Downs.