Wilkes-Barre, PA — Cameron Capone and Mike Polansky captured pillar-to-post victories in their respective $10,000 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) trots at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Sunday night (July 5).
Capone struck first with a 1:55.3 win by Voss Blue Chip in the first AHDC trot. Leaving from post 6, Voss Blue Chip cleared control from 7-5 favorite Massive Matter (driven by Tony Beltrami) heading to a :28 first quarter and then endured pressure from parked Love This Bar (Jacob Stillwell) through middle fractions of :57.4 and 1:26.1. Voss Blue Chip repelled Love This Bar heading to the last turn and coasted to the finish a handy winner by 2-1/4 lengths. Big Nudge (Anthony Verruso) grabbed second from Massive Matter while Love This Bar settled for fourth.
A 5-year-old gelding by E L Titan, Voss Blue Chip is owned by Paul Kautz and trained by Capone. He paid $5 to win.
Mike Polansky later wired his competition with Certify in a 1:55.2 mile. Polansky powered his charge to the fore through a :28.1 first quarter and strolled under minimum pressure to a :57.2 half. With the outer tier clogged by parked and tiring Mr Instigator (Robert Ciavardini), Certify cruised up the backstretch to clock three-quarters in 1:25.3 and had ample in reserve for the stretch. Certify crossed the beam 1-3/4 lengths better than pocket-sitter Show The Will (Jacob Stillwell) in second. Glenfidich (Cameron Capone) rallied from last for third and Brave By Design (Yogi Sheridan) took fourth.
Michael Fiumenero owns and trains Certify, a 10-year-old gelding by Credit Winner. He paid $10.20 to win.
Earlier in the day, Harrah’s Philadelphia hosted four $8,500 AHDC pace divisions. Geovany Hernandez opened the day’s action with a win by Moonwards Hanover, emerging from a shuffle to score in a 1:56 mile.
Moonwards Hanover took the lead to a :27 first quarter before relinquishing control to Hes Rockin Ralphie (Bruce Baker), who hit the brakes after a :56.3 half. Schwartz Bros Pat (Anthony Verruso) swooped to the lead chased by favorite Rise Up Deo (Michael Shults) and Gadabout (Tony Beltrami) while Hernandez circled around tiring Hes Rockin Ralphie to sit five lengths off the front passing three-quarters in 1:25.4. Hernandez urged his charge back into contention coming for home and successfully reeled in his rivals to cross the line first by 1-1/4 lengths. Bargain Shopper (Yogi Sheridan) rallied from last for second while Rise Up Deo took third and Gadabout settled for fourth.
Brian Magie Jr. trains Moonwards Hanover, a 14-year-old gelding by Sportswriter, for owner Judy Magie. He paid $10.80 to win.
Michael Shults took the following division from a speed mission with 1-2 favorite Bionic in a 1:54.4 mile. Shults pushed the pedal from the start to seize the lead to a :26.3 first quarter while maintaining momentum to a :55.4 half. He held a three-length lead up the backstretch as his foes spun their wheels to three-quarters in 1:24 and held his ground in the stretch for a 1-3/4-length win. Woodmere Leah (Geovany Hernandez) closed for second while pocket-chaser Better Than Some (Yogi Sheridan) took third. Miki On The Run (Matt Zuccarello) came from off the speed for fourth.
Shults trains Bionic, an 8-year-old gelding by Always B Miki, for owner Blazer One Racing. He paid $3 to win.
A few races later, Tony Beltrami delivered 1-5 favorite Always A Way to a 1:55.1 victory in the third AHDC pace. Beltrami looped from the pocket to the lead after a :27.1 first quarter and took the field by a soft half in :57.1. Pocket-sitter Uncle Coz (William Clark Jr.) gapped the leader coming for the backstretch, creating room for first-up Backstreet Lawyer (Yogi Sheridan) to tuck at the pylons. Always A Way continued comfortably on the lead to three-quarters in 1:25.3 and faced minimal threat for home as he strode in a 2-1/4-length winner. One Of The Guys (Matt Zuccarello) sustained from a first-up push late for second over Backstreet Lawyer while Western Bayama (Anthony Verruso) took fourth.
Julius Czermann Jr. trains Always A Way, a 6-year-old gelding by Always A Virgin, for owner Joseph Loprete. He paid $2.60 to win.
Yogi Sheridan bagged the last AHDC pace from a first-over grind with 9-5 favorite Miki The Clown in a 1:54.1 mile.
Sheridan landed in fourth to a :27.4 first quarter cut by pylon-starter Tricky Captain N (Geovany Hernandez), who soon yielded command to pocket-popper Twin B Cardi B (Cote Keim) passing the stands first time. Twin B Cardi B clocked a :56.4 half as Sheridan angled Miki The Clown outside for a backside attack. Miki The Clown inched forward while Twin B Cardi B chugged to three-quarters in 1:25, but the leader’s advantage continued to diminish through the last turn. Twin B Cardi B folded spinning for home as Miki The Clown surged to the front and stayed strong to the line to win by a half-length over rallying Tricky Captain N. Watch U R Back (William Clark Jr.) saved ground for third with Captain Dee Tee (Anthony Verruso) following in fourth.
Izzy Estrada trains Miki The Clown, an 8-year-old mare by Always B Miki, for owner Estrada Racing LLC. She paid $5.80 to win.
AHDC action resumes next Sunday (July 12) 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.