Verruso times Net Weight to perfection

WILKES-BARRE, Pa.— Anthony Verruso vaulted from second-over with Net Weight (Muscle Hill) and landed on the better side of a blanket harness racing finish for a 1:58.3 win in the $10,000 American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Trot at Pocono Downs on Saturday (Sept. 5).

Leaving from post 6, Verruso settled Net Weight towards the middle of the pack while Bank Box Treasure (driven by John Calabrese) and Kountry Express (Geovany Hernandez) exchanged blows for the lead through a :28.1 first quarter. Kountry Express cleared Bank Box Treasure passing the stands and cruised to a :57.2 half unfettered, though challenges soon brewed once Certify (Mike Polansky) angled outside to march uncovered up the rim with Net Weight tracking.

Past three-quarters in 1:27.2, Kountry Express held firmly on the lead but wavered upon spinning for home as Bank Box Treasure dove to the passing lane and the outer-tier challengers came plugging late. Net Weight fanned off cover and built speed to slide forward in the last sixteenth for a half-length win. Ezra (Austin Brubacker) rallied widest down the track from a third-over trip to take second while Certify ground home for third and Bank Box Treasure settled for fourth.

NET WEIGHT REPLAY

Rob Harmon trains Net Weight, a 4-year-old gelding by Muscle Hill, for owner Harmon Racing Stable LLC. He paid $6.80 to win.

AHDC action resumes next Saturday (Sept. 12) at Pocono Downs. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ray Cotolo, for the AHDC