from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — For the second time in three nights, a track record for an odd-distance race at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono was broken Tuesday (Aug. 1), as Mr Right showed rare courage to come back in the stretch and win a $13,500 contest at 1-1/4 miles on the trot in 2:29, shaving two-fifths of a second off the previous local standard set by Sweet Talkin’ Guy in 1992.

Curtis Salonick photo

Mr Right won a tight photo finish in the 1-1/4 mile contest.

Keegan Ho got the lead off the first turn in this four-turn event and put down a pair of :30 quarters to open the contest, with Tom Jackson sending Mr Right uncovered just before the half-mile point. Mr Right went to challenge the leader, with pocket-sitter Hot Summer Knight keeping up tight, and after the 1:29.1 three-quarter clocking, here coming off the third turn, those three pulled away to fight over the last half-mile.

Keegan Ho hit the mile in 1:57.4, and in going sharp quarters in the third and fourth stanzas it looked like he had disposed of the challenge of Mr Right, who dropped back some coming off the final turn, with potential pocket rocket Hot Summer Knight looming the major danger. Hot Summer Knight did make the lead in the stretch but could not sustain it, as Mr Right found a bit more than his rivals and crossed the wire a neck to the good, with Keegan Ho reclaiming second by a nose.

The victorious son of Donato Hanover, trained and owned by Tate Lewis Jr. and a winner of $157,035, took a mark of 1:54.1 at The Downs earlier this year — uncovered — and Tuesday’s race showed his speed is complemented by gameness after coming back to catch not one but two rivals who had had a stretch lead before him.

Top pacing event was a $16,500 conditioned pace for mares, where the Shadow Play mare Tessa Seelster went to the lead past a :26.2 quarter, then posted middle splits of :55 and 1:22.2 en route to a 1:50.3 victory.

Tessa Seelster, the 7-5 second choice to 4-5 chalk Marlee B, defeated that pocket-sitting rival by 3-1/2 lengths for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Ron Burke, and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, and Jonathan Newman while raising her lifetime tally to $474,253.

Andrew McCarthy drove five winners, two each for trainer Ross Croghan and Scott DiDomenico.