from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — As announcer Jim Beviglia put it, “So Nice made it look so easy,” and the daughter of Ponder indeed dominated the $15,500 pacing mares feature at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Tuesday night (June 7), with a 6-1/2 length triumph in 1:51. It was one of eight winners on the night for driver George Napolitano Jr.

Although established as the 3-5 chalk coming off a lifetime best 1:49.3 last week here, So Nice was given hard early argument for the lead by Tipitina, who finally took the top after a searing :25.4 opener. But So Nice reclaimed the top quickly thereafter, posted middle splits of :55 and 1:22.1 and the last quarter became merely a decider of the winning margin and who would get the minor awards. Tipitina held for second, 1-1/2 lengths in front of Show Runner.

Napolitano was again in the sulky behind the Amber Buter-trained winner, who boosted her lifetime earnings to $350,218 with the win for the Gene Oldford Farms LLC, Steve Oldford, and Tyler Buter.

Napolitano, the Downs’ all-time leading driver and again far ahead in the win column during 2016, also reined the winner of the co-feature, a $14,000 mares pace, with the I Scoot Hanover mare Velocity Vespa, who continued to show her fondness for the local red clay oval by raising her 2016 local tally to three-for-three with a 3-1/4 length triumph in 1:51.3 for trainer Chris and owner Susan Oakes.