Classifiedmaterial, who had to win his final prelim in the Game Of Claims Pacing Series to make the championship, added a second straight victory on Sunday afternoon (March 26) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, taking the $25,000 championship for $15,000 base-tagged horses in 1:53.1.
The meet’s leading driver, Matt Kakaley, kept the victorious altered son of Bettors Delight midfield as a crowded front produced spirited fractions of :27, :55 and 1:23. Classifiedmaterial was hustled to the three-wide path late in the backstretch and gained through the far turn, then bettered the Pocono Pike charge of pocket-sitting Territory by a half-length.
A 7-1 betting proposition, Classifiedmaterial had lost 13 straight starts dating back to Nov. 4, but with his two recent successes found his best strides at the right time. Herbert Lux III trains Classifiedmaterial for owners Bill Mullin and Howard Taylor. And he’ll have a chance to make it three straight for his connections in his next start, as there is no claiming in the series championship races.
In the $17,000 top trot of the day, Southwind Arturo saved ground, then was niftily guided by Tyler Buter through a developing stretch hole and trotted strongly to win in 1:56.1. A four-year-old son of Muscle Hill, Southwind Arturo earned a new mark with the victory for trainer Deborah Daguet and owner Stephen Klunowski.
The trotter Sylvesteramericait paid by far the biggest win price of the young Pocono season when he took advantage of breaking foes to storm home and pay $135.20 after a 1:55.2 victory.
Simon Allard took sulky honours on the day with four successful steers.
The Monday (March 27) 1 p.m. (EDT) card at the mountain oval will present the last of the Game Of Claims championships to be featured in March, a $15,000 contest for horses who started their series base-priced at $7,500. Believeinthespirit, the only two-time winner in the preliminaries, drew the rail to aid his chances as he goes for the big money.
(PHHA / Pocono)