Wilkes-Barre, PA — Milieu Hanover overcame post seven to secure an ideal trip in Sunday’s (May 1) $17,000 distaff feature pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, and she made the most of the opportunity by closing well to notch a 1:52.2 victory.

Milieu Hanover closed strongly to win Sunday’s $17,000 pacing feature at Pocono. Curtis Salonick photo.

Beach Crazy put the field behind her by leaving strongly, and she posted fractions of :26.3 and :57 before being joined by first-over A Better Game at three-quarters in 1:24.1. That filly began her uncovered journey from beyond midfield in front of the stands, with Milieu Hanover and driver Marcus Miller riding her cover all the way up before tipping wide for the stretch drive. A Better Game actually reached the lead at the top of the stretch in a gallant showing, but Milieu Hanover was a fresh horse just to her right, and she proved the stronger by three-quarters of a length.

A winner of over $150,000 at 3 last year, mostly in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, the winning daughter of Betting Line won her second start of the year after a good-closing second-place finish in her debut for trainer Nicholas DeVita and the partnership of DeVita Racing Stable Inc., David Hamm and Christopher Giaccio.

The Bettor’s Delight gelding Bravo Tex N won a co-featured pace for the highest-priced claimers on the grounds in 1:52.1. Sullivan outs-printed everybody, put up initial splits of :27.4 and :56.4, then tried to steal away by going :26.4 up the backstretch to a 1:23.3 three-quarters, but Bravo Tex N, circling wide from second-over, had just enough late foot to edge the pacesetter by a head for owner Eric Prevost. It was the second win of the evening for the teaming of driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Darren Taneyhill, who tied Michael Spaccarelli Jr. at the top of the Pocono trainers table with 15 victories with the win.

Each of the five winningest drivers at Pocono in 2022 – Matt Kakaley, George Napolitano Jr., Tyler Buter, Marcus Miller and Jim Pantaleano – had multiple victories on the card. Kakaley and Miller had three each, the other trio had two each.

The Downs will host racing on Monday (May 2) and Tuesday (May 3), with both cards starting at 1:30 p.m. Program pages are available on the PHHA website.