Wilkes-Barre, PA — The Always B Miki gelding Congressional probably wishes that Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania would never close.
Since coming to the brick-red five-eighths-mile oval from the Bluegrass of Kentucky, Congressional has crossed the wire first four times (he was placed back for interference in one of that quartet) and second three times by a cumulative three-quarters of a length, and he has won or lost all of those races by that same distance, with a 7-3-3-0 record worth $37,575 since July 12.
On Saturday afternoon (Sept. 6), with the temperature in the mid-60s, Congressional again turned in a brave performance to win the $20,000 fast-class pace in 1:51.1. Driver/trainer/owner Kevin Wallis pushed the gelding to the lead from the outside post seven in a :26.2 quarter, then yielded to Santana Hanover, with whom he has traded decisions the last two weeks, and sat behind that one during middle splits of :56.1 and 1:23.4.
Taken to the Pocono Pike, Congressional again dug down deep, got by his quick rival, then faced a late burst to his own inside from the pylon-hugging American Dealer N before getting the win nod by a neck in 1:51.1. Congressional now has $324,508 in lifetime earnings.
The Bettor’s Wish gelding Odds On Wildfire was also an inside pocket rocket in taking the $17,000 co-featured pace for up-and-coming male pacers in 1:51.4. After an early donnybrook that left the winner positioned by Rio after a :27 quarter, he stayed in the golden chair during fractions of :55 and 1:23.2, then came clear and went on to a 1-1/4-length decision over the pacesetter for driver Jim Marohn Jr. and trainer/owner Geovany Hernandez.
In the $16,000 handicap pace for the highest-price claimers on the grounds, the Captaintreacherous gelding Nineteenth Man A posted splits of :28, :56.3 and 1:24.3, then held off the closing bid of Hammering Hank for a neck decision in 1:51.4, his third win in his last four starts, this one right off a claim by Flying A Racing Stable.
Nineteenth Man A was driven by Tyler Buter for trainer Hunter Oakes, one of two victorious partnerships between the pair on the day. Buter, the track’s leading driver, won a third race with a pupil of Ron Burke.
Pocono will host the eight Championships for 2- and 3-year-olds in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series when it returns to racing at 1 p.m. on Monday (Sept. 8). The Stallion Stakes will offer aggregate purses of $320,000. There will also be a carryover into the early Pick-4 (races 1-4) on the Monday card.
Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.