A pair of Cantab Hall geldings handled by George Napolitano Jr., the leading driver at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, took lifetime marks in winning the $15,000 featured trots during the Tuesday (July 23) card.
The faster of the two was the sophomore Nextroundsonme, who won in 1:54.3 for Napolitano Jr., trainer Jenny Melander and Belmar Racing & Breeding LLC. Napolitano Jr. and Nextroundsonme made the lead early and then yielded to sit in the pocket behind Bag O Chips before later shooting through the Pocono Pike to win by a neck over the closing P L Ketchup, with pacesetting Bag O Chips a head behind the place horse. Favoured Smokee Mirrors squeezed between horses late to miss the victory by only a half a length and settled for fourth.
As tight as that finish was, Final Dream’s 1:55 victory in the other division was just as decisive. She made the top, got a second quarter breather, then outmuscled the competition to win by three-and-a-quarter lengths. After being on the board in over half his seasonal starts, Final Dream finally broke into the 2019 victory column for trainer Carmine Fusco and owner Howard Jacobs.
George Napolitano Jr. completed a sweep of the featured races when he directed the A Rocknroll Dance mare Sidewalk Dancer to a 1:51 victory in a $14,000 conditioned pace for distaffs. The winner was on the move off the first turn to grab the top before the next bend, kept up a fast pace, then kept pocket rocket hopeful Keystone Riptide at bay by a neck. Chris Oakes conditions the winner of $245,109 for Northfork Racing Stable, Omar Beiler, and Dennis Coons.
(PHHA/Pocono)