Wilkes-Barre, PA — Two-year-olds were in the spotlight on Tuesday (Oct. 6) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with a $16,000 event for each freshman group divided by gait and sex.
The Sweet Lou-Horizon gelding Somehriznsomewhere broke his maiden in fine style as he dictated the tempo then came home in :27.4 to hold off the stalking favorite Crunchstyle by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.4 in the freshman contest for male pacers. George Napolitano Jr. handled the sulky duties for trainer Chris Ryder and the partnership of Summer Wind Stable, Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Craig Henderson, and Robert Mondillo.
The pacing filly cut saw Pillow Play, a daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-Angel’s Pride who showed a 1:51.1 victory in Kentucky, come to Pennsylvania and defeat her main rival, Happy Papi, with a decisive 2-1/4-length victory in 1:53.1. Pillow Play took the lead from Happy Papi in front of the stands the first time around then stayed ahead of that rival with a :28 last quarter for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Scott DiDomenico, and the combine of Triple D Stables Inc., Michael Rekoon and Steve Stewart.
On the trotting side, the males’ event was taken by the Greenshoe-Donna Hill gelding Green To Go, who followed up on a win in a Keystone Classic event in his last start with a 1:57.1 victory. Tyler Buter tucked the winner in third early, inherited the pocket as the leader broke up the backstretch, moved into the far turn to be in front at the top of the stretch, then kept favored Capt Osborne at bay by a length for trainer-owner D.R. Ackerman.
Filly trotters were headed by Sister Lise, a daughter of Father Patrick-Checkmate Time, who tucked early then found clearance between horses late for driver Donald Dupont and won in 1:57.4 in a race where the top five were separated by only 1-1/2 lengths. Trainer Marie Dupont also owns Sister Lise.
Tyler Buter had three winners when he was scheduled to leave for MGM Yonkers Raceway after race 10, but an Åke Svanstedt trainee needed a late driver switch in race 11, Buter got it, and he left for Gotham with four wins for the day already in the bag. Matt Kakaley and George Napolitano Jr. each had two wins on the card.
Racing returns to the mountain oval on Saturday (Oct. 10) at 1 p.m., with fast-class pacers filling the marquee spots. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.