As the saying goes, 'it had been a long time between drinks' – but Hickory Big Black, after 53 successive unsuccessful starts, finally got to the promised land of the Hanover Shoe Farms winners circle at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, winning the $16,000 distaff featured pace on Tuesday night in 1:53, a lifetime best.
Eric Carlson hustled the victorious daughter of Village Jolt to the lead in front of the stands the first time and held sway the rest of the way, showing courage late to defeat Caroline Hanover by a head, with Roll Baby Roll only a neck away from taking it all while finishing third. Hickory Big Black, whose last win had come almost two years ago (October 14, 2015) when she took her previous mark of 1:54.3 here at the Downs, raised her earnings to $94,416 for trainer Kris Rickert and the ownership team of Benjamin Gordon, Dante Scattolini, and Abraham Basen.
The $14,000 distaff pace co-feature went to the Chicagoland invader Whiskersonkittens, whose rally from the pocket held off hard-charging Quebec-bred champion YS Tallia by a neck in 1:53. The daughter of Party At Artsplace was driven by Jim Marohn, Jr. for trainer Rick Dane, Jr. and owner Ronald Knupp, who saw his four-year-old sell her bankroll to $173,902.
(PHHA/Pocono)