Wilkes-Barre, PA – The Huntsville sophomore filly Calamity Hour overcame a very difficult first-over trip to take the $15,500 pacing distaff feature on Monday (Sept. 1) afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania in 1:52.1.
Favored in the headline contest, Calamity Hour waited in fourth early as chief rival Odds On Aces Full passed the first three poles in :27.3, :57, and 1:25.3 while in front. The winner started an uncovered move down the backstretch, quickly reached the pacesetter, and then grinded away inexorably and worked by the game leader late while posting a 1-1/4 length decision. Calamity Hour paced her own back fractions in :55 – :27 in the impressive win.
Deborah Daguet trains the talented 3-year-old for Donald Mac Rae and her own Daguet Racing LLC. Calamity Hour was driven by Anthony Napolitano, who had a total of four victories on the day to lead the horsemen, including wins in all three of the claiming handicap trots. (Two of those winners are trained by Anthony Faulkner, the only conditioning doubler on the day.)
The feature was for “nw 5 races” company; there were also three $15,000 contests for horses in the basic “nw 4 races” bracket. The section for male pacers saw the Always B Miki gelding Laugh Shop streak to his third win in his last four starts in 1:50.4, with potential pocket rocket Chief Bogo staying close but still finishing 1-1/2 lengths shy in a :27.3 last quarter. Matt Kakaley drove Laugh Shop for trainer Jill Wine and the partnership of Samuel Abdoo and Wine Stable.
Simon Allard, himself a three-time winner on the day, drove both of the trotting co-feature winners, both of them clocking a 1:55 mile. The Braggart gelding Last Of Braggert (spelling verified) paid the biggest price of the day, $19.60, winning by 1½ lengths for trainer Brittany Dillon and owner Howard Taylor, while the Readly Express gelding Furst Igor S also benefited from Allard’s handling, rolling home in :27.4 to score by 2-1/4lengths for trainer Marc Mosher and A 1 Racing
Pocono closes out its racing week with a 1 p.m. card on Tuesday (Sept. 2). On Monday (Sept. 8), high-powered Pennsylvania Stallion Series horses who earned the most points in their preliminary rounds will square off for divisional bragging rights and $320,000 spread over the eight stakes categories for 2- and 3-year-olds. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.