Polansky, Calabrese victorious in AHDC Trots

WILKES-BARRE, Pa.— Mike Polansky powered off a pocket trip while John Calabrese went pillar to post to win their respective $10,000 harness racing divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Trot at Pocono Downs on Sunday night (July 26).

Polansky delivered even-money favorite Massive Matter to a 1:57 win in the first division of the AHDC Trot.

Leaving from post 7, Polansky found a seat behind leader Infinite Zette (driven by Frank Tsipouras) heading to a :27 first quarter and tracked the leader intently through a :56.1 half and 1:25.4 three-quarters.

He then angled from the pocket coming for home and spurted by with fresh legs for a length win over fast-closing Ezra (Austin Brubacker) in second. Infinite Zette settled for third and Hey Dude (Anthony Verruso) gave chase in fourth.

MASSIVE MATTER REPLAY

Frank Catalfamo owns and trains Massive Matter, an 8-year-old gelding by Explosive Matter. He paid $4 to win.

John Calabrese faced little pressure with 9-5 favorite Show The Will to score an easy 1:55 victory in the other division of the AHDC Trot. Calabrese cleared command out of post 7 to a :27.3 first quarter and strolled through middle fractions of :56.1 and 1:25 to win snugly by a length over pocket-chasing longshot Bacardi (Anthony Verruso). Snowman Hanover (Vanessa Kalrewicz) clinched third from Love This Bar (Frank Tsipouras) in fourth.

SHOW THE WILL REPLAY

Vincent Ginsburg trains Show The Will, a 7-year-old gelding by Possess The Will, for owner Jaypaul Hoover. He paid $5.80 to win.

Earlier in the day, Harrah’s Philadelphia hosted three $8,500 divisions of the AHDC Pace, and William Clark Jr. opened the day with a front-stepping win in 1:55.3 behind Uncle Coz. Uncle Coz endured persistent pressure from parked Backstreet Lawyer (Geovany Hernandez) through a clip of :28, :56.4 and 1:25.4 but successfully staved off that rival coming for home. He then withstood a late charge from Moonwards Hanover (Anthony Verruso) to snag the win by three-quarter lengths with pocket-sitter Bargain Shopper (Yogi Sheridan) taking third. Backstreet Lawyer held fourth.

William Clark Jr. trains Uncle Coz, a 13-year-old gelding by Rock N Roll Heaven, for owner Mary Cuerbo. He paid $8.20 to win.

Hernandez returned from a parked trip in the first division to hit the winner’s circle in the second AHDC Pace with Tricky Captain N in a 1:54.4 mile. Tricky Captain N cleared the lead out of post 7 to a :27.1 first quarter and strolled comfortably while even-money favorite Skattebo (Yogi Sheridan), who broke from interference at the start, ground up the rim through middle splits of :57.4 and 1:26. Skattebo remained the closest pursuer coming for home and plateaued, leaving Tricky Captain N to coast in a 2-1/4-length winner while Lincoln Boulevard (Anthony Verruso) checked in third, another four lengths behind, and Revolver N (Michael Shults) took fourth.

Geovany Hernandez owns and trains Tricky Captain N, a 5-year-old gelding by Captaintreacherous. He paid $7.40 to win.

Yogi Sheridan then returned from a parked trip to romp in the last AHDC Pace with odds-on favorite Captain Dee Tee in a 1:55.1 mile. Sheridan rolled his charge out of post 8 to a :27.4 first quarter and snagged a breather to a :58.1 half, prompting Hold My Tiara (Michael Shults) to pull out of fourth for an attack. But Captain Dee Tee promptly accelerated to three-quarters in 1:26.3 and repelled Hold My Tiara into the last turn. Captain Dee Tee maintained his speed through the lane to register a four-length win with Miki On The Run (Matt Zuccarello) rallying from a ground-saving trip for second ahead of Baron Michael (William Clark Jr.) in third while pocket-sitter Lew Hauber (Geovany Hernandez) tired to fourth.

Izzy Estrada trains Captain Dee Tee, a 4-year-old gelding by Captain Trevor, for owner Estrada Racing LLC. He paid $3.40 to win.

AHDC action resumes next Sunday (Aug. 2) with pacing divisions at Harrah’s Philadelphia and trotting divisions at Pocono Downs. First-race post time at Harrah’s Philadelphia is 12:40 p.m. (EDT) and 5 p.m. (EDT) at Pocono.

by Ray Cotolo, for the AHDC