Wilkes-Barre, PA — Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 10) had a single $15,000 second-round preliminary event in the Winter Is Coming Pacing Series, leading up to next Tuesday’s (Nov. 17) $20,000 final.
For the second straight week, the pattern of the race was the same: pocket horse rallies to go the stretch lead then holds off the big closer in a photo, with the pacesetter less than a length behind in third. And the same top three finishers from last week occupied the trifecta this week.
But there were different winners in the two races.
This week, Bugaboo Hanover (the first-round winner) was the pacesetter through fractions of :26.1, :55.4 and 1:22.4, with Lennon Hanover (third last time) in the golden chair and Deuce Hanover second-over. Lennon Hanover proved to have the most late after the good journey in 1:51.1, with Deuce Hanover storming late again for the deuce, here a head off, with Bugaboo Lou another three parts of a length back.
Thus, the major spoils went to the George Napolitano Jr.-driven Lennon Hanover, a son of Tall Dark Stranger trained by Dean Eckley for owner William Hartt.
Pocono also featured a pair of $14,500 contests for developing trotters. In the quicker split, the Captain Corey sophomore filly Arella Hanover was ahead at every call in a lifetime best 1:55.4 for trainer/driver Jim Pantaleano and owners John Eichelberger and Stacey-Lee Day; the 3-year-old Greenshoe gelding Chuppah Hanover was able to set a slow pace to the half and held on in a 1:59.1 mile to win the other cut, with Braxten Boyd doing the driving for trainer Linda Schadel, who is also co-owner with Tony, Elizabeth and James Schadel.
The windy day was largely a chalk players’ cemetery, with the meet’s leading driver, Tyler Buter, winning with the only two victorious favorites on the 13-race card – and also triggering the highest win mutuel, $73.60 winner The American Eagle. Driving doubles were recorded by Braxten Boyd, George Napolitano Jr., and Jim Pantaleano.
The Pocono racing schedule resumes Saturday (Nov. 14) at 1 p.m., highlighted by a $27,500 fast-class handicap pace, the $20,000 final of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series, and carryovers into the Pick-5 (races 5-9) and the High-5 (last race). Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.