The week gone past provided plenty of thrills for the Pocono faithful. Among the highlights were Stallion Series and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for harness racing two-year-old pacers, a showdown between two previous Pocono Pacers of the Year in Saturday night's feature race (won by Luck Bewithyou over Keystone Velocity), and plenty of long shots driving up the prices on the tote board. So let's take a closer look at this beguiling week by handing out the Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: CRUISE PATROL
This four-year-old stallion trained by Michael Dowdall can do no wrong of late at Pocono. His recent hot streak began on July 22 when he led most of the way for a victory in a $12,500 condition pace in 1:50:4 on a sloppy track. He followed that up with a move up in class to the $14,000 conditioners on July 29, and, despite having to grind on the outside to get it done, he delivered a second straight win, this one coming in 1:51:4.
On Saturday night, Cruise Patrol stepped up again to meet the $16,500 condition pacers. Leaving as the #6 horse in a field of eight, he stayed in the middle of the pack early as Poisonous set the pace. On the back stretch straightaway, driver Jim Marohn Jr. decided it was time to boogie and set Cruise Patrol in motion first over to take aim at the leader.
Corralling and passing Poisonous, which he did as they rounded the final turn, was only half the battle for the stallion. He then had to deal with First Class Horse, a classy pacer who had followed his cover and looked to kick on by in the stretch. But Cruise Patrol handled that challenge with aplomb, pacing out powerfully to win by 1¼ lengths in a time of 1:51:4. After three straight wins, another move up in class might be in the cards. Wherever he races, it will take a big effort to beat him.
Other top pacers this week include: Luck Be Withyou (George Napolitano Jr., Chris Oakes), who followed up a win at Saratoga with a victory in Saturday night's featured $25,000 pace in 1:48:4, the week's fastest pacing time at Pocono; Big Bad Mike (Tom Jackson driver and trainer), who picked up his second straight condition claiming victory on Sunday night in 1:55; and Glow Stick (George Napolitano Jr., Hunter Oakes), a mare who overcame a #9 post to win her third straight claiming handicap on Monday night, this one coming in 1:54:4 in the slop.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: KARETS
A confidence-building victory at Plainridge on July 18 seems to have ignited this 6-year-old stallion. Trained by James Cosenza, Karets promptly returned to Pocono to face a $14,000 condition group. He controlled the field on the front end with George Napolitano Jr. in the bike that night, winning in a career-best 1:53:4. Off of those two wins, he stepped up to face a $16,500 condition class on Saturday night.
Being saddled with an outside #7 post certainly didn't seem like a positive development for Karets, considering his desire to trot on the front end. That and the fact that he was moving up in class against some talented veteran horses combined to scare a lot of bettors off; he went off at 7-1. But Napolitano once again allowed Karets to show off his early speed, and he made the lead by the time the field was an eight of a mile into the race.
At the top of the lane, a trio of horses who all received more betting attention than Karets were lining up to try and reel him in. But the stallion didn't buckle, not only holding on to the lead but carrying it home with an authority. His third straight win came in 1:53:1, not just a new career mark but also the fastest trotting time put up at Pocono this past week. This Karets has certainly been golden of late.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: Queens Lonely Earl (Matt Kakaley, Bruce Clarke), who rallied for a win in the slop in Monday night's featured claiming handicap trot in 1:56:3, giving him two wins in a row; Joey Pro (Matt Kakaley, John Hallett), who followed up his maiden victory with a win against non-winners of two on Monday night in 1:58:3 on a sloppy track; and Morosita Bi (Matt Kakaley, Bruce Clarke), who picked up her third straight win, the last two at Pocono, with a condition win on Tuesday night in a new career-best of 1:54:2.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: MACH ON THE BEACH
With Eric Carlson in the bike, this gelding rallied from out of the clouds on Saturday night to win a condition pace at 35-1, paying off $73.40 on a $2 win ticket.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: YANNICK GINGRAS
Gingras races at Pocono infrequently, but when he does he makes his presence felt, like on Monday night when he won three of the first four races on the card.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: OWEN EILER JR.
Training wins on Sunday and Monday night solidified what has been an impressive recent streak of success at Pocono for the Eiler barn.
That will do it for this week, but we'll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at jbeviglia@mohegansunpocono.com.
Jim Beviglia
