by PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — I Soar Him First became the only competitor to go three-for-three in the initial preliminaries of the four events in the Bobby Weiss Series, taking his $15,000 division of the pacing males sector in 1:51.4 Saturday (April 21) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Curtis Salonick photo

I Soar Him First became the only horse to go three-for-three in Weiss Series action.

George Napolitano Jr. sent the sophomore So Surreal gelding to the top before the :27.3 quarter, then got a huge breather to the :56.4 half. From there it was “catch me if you can.” With back numbers of :55 and :27.2, nobody could catch I Soar Him First as he won by three lengths in a personal best of 1:51.4 for owner-trainer Gilbert Garcia Herrera.

Saturday’s other $15,000 third round preliminary went to the Foreclosure N 4-year-old gelding Riggle Wealth, as he sped to a lifetime mark of 1:50.3. Trapped inside and flying late in the first two weeks, Riggle Wealth and driver Jim Morrill Jr. left no room for bad luck here, getting away fifth off the gate in a six-horse field. They then motored to the top after traffic settled, posting splits of :27 and :55.1.

Coming off the second curve, pocketsitting Ostro Hanover, a winner in his first Weiss start last week and carrying a six-race win streak into the contest, helmetbumped Morrill and then went offstride in the close quarters, making the job for Riggle Wealth, who himself had a four-race winning streak before he came to Pocono, much easier. The winner hit the three-quarters in 1:23 and then tacked on the :27.3 kicker for a 2-1/4 length victory for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC,and Phil Collura.

Heavenly Sound, who had also won his first two Weiss prelims in this section, took the week off.

The brothers Napolitano accounted for the $17,500 sub-features, for older horses. In the trot, Sir John F stormed his third panel in :27.4 in moving to the lead, then held off the horse on his back, Majestic Mistress – driven by Anthony Napolitano – by a half-length while taking a new mark of 1:53.1. The son of Donato Hanover was George Napolitano’s fourth winner of the night and Sir John F completed a double started by I Soar Him First for owner-trainer Gil Garcia Herrera, who co-owns the trotter with Michi Yvette Abday. Napolitano won six races total on the card.

Anthony Napolitano visited Victory Lane in the very next race, the subfeature pace, as Chevals Clivesdale, an altered son of The Globe, sat a pocket trip behind $1.6M winner Dancin Yankee, then gained into a :27.2 last quarter to win by a neck in 1:50.3. Jose Godinez conditions the winner for Blindswitch Racing Stable, Good Friends Racing Stable and Santo Farina.