from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Both of the $21,500 features at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Sunday night (July 22) required the use of the photo finish camera, with the mare Satin Dancer holding off Crazshana by a nose on the trot and Juslikeaqueen rallying furiously from sixth at the three-quarters to get a neck decision in the distaff pace.

Satin Dancer, a double winner in Open company at Hoosier before coming east, was sent right to the top in a :27.1 quarter over off going by driver Matt Kakaley in the trotting headliner, then got a breather to the half in :57. The winning daughter of Big Stick accelerated the tempo to the three-quarters, reaching that pole in 1:25.1, then had to go faster and dig deep as Crazshana narrowed in from the pocket, retaining the smallest possible advantage on the money while equaling her mark of 1:53. Travis Alexander conditions the winner, one of the big factors at two and three in Indiana as her $637,160 earnings would attest, for Summit Pacing Acres.

Obvious Blue Chip tried to live up to 1-5 backing in the female pacing feature, moving to the front near the :27.4 quarter and then posting middle fractions of :57 and 1:24.4. But first-over Princess Fabulosa grinded at the leader, passed her in the stretch, then herself was caught by the flying-from-third-over Juslikeaqueen, from whom Anthony Napolitano summoned a huge last quarter while wide to take a 1:53.1 decision. Antonia Storer owns and trains the Palone Ranger mare, who now has a lifetime bankroll of $175,710.

And just in case you thought that all those good Jimmy Takter trotters easily roll out of the barn all ready to go stakes-caliber miles, consider Fleet Admiral, who had a 1:56.3 win and a break in two qualifiers as a freshman, then put in two stretch breaks as a sophomore before qualifying at Pocono in 1:54.4. He made a break in his first purse start, was 16-1/2 lengths out at the quarter, and rallied to be second, so when he broke at the start of his second race Sunday but was only 9-1/4 lengths down at the quarter, he was obviously still in the hunt and he again showed a giant recovery kick for driver Josert Fonseca, coming his last three-quarters in 1:27.1 to win in 1:57.3 on a sloppy track. The winner is a full brother to Ariana G.