by PHHA/Pocono
Wilkes-Barre, PA — Si Semalu became the newest member of the quarter-million-dollar club when he won the $20,500 featured pace Saturday night (Nov. 18) at Mohegan Sun Pocono, plowing through sloppy conditions to post a 1:52.3 triumph.
Curtis Salonick photo
Luck Be Withyou receives a send-off at Pocono prior to heading to the breeding shed after 89 career starts.
Jim Marohn Jr. hustled the Modern Art gelding to command in front of the stands and held sway the rest of the mile. Although he needed every bit of a :56.1 last half-mile to hold off a stubborn first-over challenger in Andrieos Kardia by a neck. Bruce Clarke trains the winner of $253,926 for owner John Coffey.
The Mach Three gelding Archangel Three sat a great pocket trip, came clear along the inside, went to the lead, and then held off good closing bursts from Ginger Tree Crash and Phil Your Boots to take down a $17,000 co-featured pace. Matt Kakaley, who had four sulky victories at press time, got the winner of $118,504 home in 1:53 in the messy conditions for trainer Ron Burke and Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and M1 Stables LLC.
Archangel Blue Chip was second choice in his event to the great local favorite Luck Be Withyou, who set all the pace but couldn’t make his lead stand up in the drive in his 89th and final career start. The son of Western Ideal, usually handled by George Napolitano Jr. for trainer Chris Oakes and owners John Craig and Northfork Racing Stable, will now begin a new career as a stud at Maple Lane Farm in Indiana.