Wilkes-Barre, PA — Peter Gerry led every step while Cameron Capone vaulted from last to first to win their respective $10,000 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) trots at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on a busy Sunday (July 12) for the club.
Gerry delivered pylon-starter Green Zone to a 1:56.2 victory in the first division of the AHDC trots. With a pair of breakers at the start, the field of six shrunk to four and left Gerry with an easy lead to a :27.2 first quarter. He then hit the brakes to the half in :58.4 and accelerated up the backstretch as odds-on favorite Show The Will (driven by Tony Beltrami) pulled off the pylons from third to lay an attack. Show The Will leveled off from that bid through the last turn to settle for second while Green Zone strode home a snug winner by 2-1/2 lengths. Infinite Zette (Frank Tsipouras) gave chase from a pocket trip for third and Energy King (Joe Lee) followed in fourth.
Richard Aiken trains Green Zone, a 5-year-old mare by Greenshoe, for owner Arden Homestead Stable. She paid $6.60 to win.
Capone later rallied with Glenfidich to a 1:56.1 win in the second AHDC trot. He settled into last of the sextet while Aardiebythehill N (Joe Lee) pushed for command to a :27.3 first quarter over 2-1 favorite Classic Pickle (Mike Polansky). Aardiebythehill N cruised to a :57.1 half and trotted evenly up the backstretch as the outer tier opened siege. Big Nudge (Anthony Verruso) led the charge up the rim with Capone perched second-over to three-quarters in 1:26.3 and Capone unleashed a strong rally in the stretch to overhaul the top pair while withstanding a late surge from Massive Matter (Tony Beltrami) to win by a neck. Classic Pickle grabbed third with Big Nudge settling for fourth.
Cameron Capone trains Glenfidich, a 6-year-old gelding by Wheeling N Dealin, for owner Jaypaul Hoover. He paid $9.20 to win.
Earlier in the day, Harrah’s Philadelphia hosted four $8,500 divisions of AHDC paces, starting with a 1:52.3 win via disqualification by Shezafreaklikeme and Bruno Chiodo. Shezafreaklikeme led every step of a quick tempo in :26.4, :55.4 and 1:23.3 before being collared late by Swing Vision (William Harrison), who was placed last for a pylon violation coming into the stretch. Watch U R Back (William Clark Jr.), the 2-1 favorite, took second, beaten a length, with Hold My Tiara (Michael Shults) checking in third from a mild first-over push and Captain Dee Tee (Anthony Verruso) following his cover for fourth.
Stacy Chiodo trains Shezafreaklikeme, an 8-year-old mare by Sweet Lou, for owner Chiodo Racing LLC. She paid $8.80 to win.
Joe Lee later grabbed the second division with a confident brush by Tricky Captain N off a fast first half to win in a 1:53.1 mile. Lee sat back as Better Than Some (James Slendorn) sped to a :27 first quarter before yielding the lead to a parked Always A Way (Tony Beltrami), who maintained his speed to a :55.4 half. Once the leader settled, Lee lunged forward and seized the lead with Tricky Captain N to three-quarters in 1:24.1 and held his ground through the stretch for a 2-1/4-length win over Always A Way with Sunshine’s Finest (William Clark Jr.), the 8-5 favorite, checking in third. Revolver N (Michael Shults) closed from last for fourth.
Geovany Hernandez owns and trains Tricky Captain N, a 5-year-old gelding by Captaintreacherous. He paid $6.40 to win.
Tony Beltrami sought revenge from defeat with a 1:56 win in the third AHDC pacing division with 5-1 shot Pack Your Bags. Beltrami landed in the middle of the pack to a :27.1 first quarter and found a slot third-over to a :57.2 half as challenges mounted towards early leader Uncle Coz (William Clark Jr.). Rise Up Deo (Michael Shults) rolled to the lead up the backstretch and clocked three-quarters in 1:25.3 while Beltrami tracked cover patiently through the last turn. The speed cratered into the stretch as Beltrami lifted off cover and soared by the competition for a half-length win at the beam. Moonwards Hanover (Joe Lee) took second from a first-up push through the last turn while Rise Up Deo held third and One Of The Guys (James Slendorn) took fourth from a second-over trip.
Joe Gulotta owns and trains Pack Your Bags, an 8-year-old gelding by Betterthancheddar. He paid $12.40 to win.
Anthony Verruso snagged the last division of AHDC paces with a pocket-pouncing effort by odds-on favorite Western Bayama in a 1:57.3 mile. Verruso fired to the lead in a :27.2 first quarter before yielding command to Bargain Shopper (James Slendorn) approaching a :57.3 half. He followed the leader comfortably up the backside as Bungalow Bill N (Phil Kozak) marched first-up to press for control to three-quarters in 1:27.2 and then spurted past the dueling pair in the lane for a 1-3/4-length win. Flying Tiger (Michael Shults) rallied from second-over for second with Fred’s Night (William Harrison) taking third and Bungalow Bill N holding fourth.
Ken Tisa owns and trains Western Bayama, a 14-year-old gelding by Lis Mara. He paid $3.80 to win.
AHDC action resumes next Sunday (July 19) 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 5 p.m. (EDT) at Pocono Downs.