Abelard Hanover made a second move late to rally for a thrilling victory in Saturday night’s featured Preferred Pace at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried a purse of $25,000.
Leaving from post position No. 6 in a field of eight at 7-1, Abelard Hanover (Rocknroll Hanover-Allamerican Coed), a six-year-old gelding trained by Donald Billings, gunned to the early lead and set a screaming pace of :25.3 to the quarter-mile marker. Eighteen then pulled the pocket to take the lead back, giving Abelard Hanover cover and a much-needed breather. That pair stayed in those positions in the stretch, when driver Jonathan Roberts coaxed another move from Abelard Hanover in the passing lane to win by a neck over Eighteen in 1:48.4, the fastest time of the Pocono 2014 meet so far. Mustang Art finished third.
In other action Saturday night at Pocono, A Stitch In Time and UF Rockin Dragon each won $15,000 divisions of the Bobby Weiss Series for three and four-year-old colts, stallions and geldings on the pace. A Stitch In Time, driven by George Napolitano Jr. and trained by Lou Pena, won his split in a career-best 1:49.4, while UF Rockin Dragon, driven by Mark MacDonald for trainer Mark Ford, picked up his win in 1:51.4.
(With files from Pocono Downs)