Great Northeast pacers to battle Saturday at Pocono
August 16, 2018,from the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, in conjunction with The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Harrah’s Philadelphia
Wilkes-Barre, PA — Open pacers will take to the track in Saturday’s (Aug. 18) 10th race at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in the penultimate $30,000 preliminary of the Great Northeast Open Series.
The top three pacers in the standings have clinched eligibility for their Championship contest have drawn the three outermost posts in the field of seven: Rodeo Romeo (post six, George Napolitano Jr.), Rockeyed Optimist (post seven, Anthony Napolitano) and Bettor’s Edge (post five, Jim Morrill Jr.)
Highalator is tied for fifth in the standings, and is all but mathematically assured of eligibility for the Championship. This is not a handicap event, but Highalator happens to be starting from post four, with Eric Carlson listed to drive.
The horses drawing posts two and three are “on the bubble” for making the Championship field, but are the two morning-line favorites. The 5-2 morning-line favorite More The Better N won his North American debut by taking a Great Northeast event at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 1:49.1. In his second Great Northeast start, he was used early and set the pace, winding up beaten only a length. He will start from post three with Corey Callahan driving. The second choice at 3-1 is Split The House, who comes off a tremendous second-place finish to Lazarus N at Hoosier Park, and will be guided by Tyler Buter from post two.
The Real One drew the rail. He has not started in the series and is facing better stock than he is used to, but everything handled by Pat Lachance seems to be going great guns now.
Next week, the final preliminary events for all three Great Northeast divisions – open pacers, open trotters, and mare pacers – will be on the condition sheet. After next Sunday’s Great Northeast action, the point standings will be final, and the top point earners declaring in will get to go for $100,000 over 1-1/4 miles in their Championship events at Pocono on Sept. 2, which will also be the night that Pocono hosts the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships for 3-year-olds.