from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Trainer Mike Deters and driver Anthony Napolitano combined successfully for the second time on the Sunday night (Sept. 9) card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono when Prairie Fortune won the $17,500 featured trot in 1:53.4.

Napolitano (five winners on the night) used the rail to advantage and worked out a good two-hole trip behind pacesetter Crazshana with the victorious altered son of Arapa Victory, then pulled away in the lane to be 3-1/2 lengths clear of that rival at the finish, coming his own last half in :56.3. Trainer Deters co-owns the winner of $398,495 with Laurie Lee Poulin.

Earlier, the backers in the crowd were few but were loud, as 99-1 shot College Hanover overcame a first-over trip for driver Drew Chellis to hold off 85-1 shot Takethemoneyandrun by a head in 1:55, returning $336.40 for a $2 ticket. That number was the biggest win mutuel at Pocono since Nov. 17, 2015, when Lady Of The Lake and driver Joe Antonelli returned $400.60 to win after a nose victory.

College Hanover, trained by Richard Dunn for the MBC Stables, did have some license in his pedigree. He is a Well Said out of the $590,000 winner Castanet Hall, and his three-quarter brother Cashendash Hanover pushed his earnings over $575,000 when he won at Philadelphia last Sunday. But the crowd was discouraged by College Hanover’s 0-for-32 lifetime record, not knowing that the 33rd time would be the charm for the sophomore.

Pocono is scheduled for a dark night Monday due to the scheduled annual local golfing tournament.