For the second-straight week at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, pacesetting Tempura Hanover held off the challenge of pocket-sitting Alta Madeira N, winning the $17,000 distaff feature in 1:53.1 on Sunday (April 10).
Driver Mark MacDonald buzzed the daughter of Captaintreacherous around her main foe early, getting to the quarter in :26.4 to secure the top, then taking a breather to the :56.3 half. First-over Shadow One joined the top two by the 1:25 three-quarters, but the race boiled down to the leading two, with Tempura Hanover proving stronger late to win by a length over Alta Madeira N, with Shadow One doing well at 39-1 for third. Gilbert Garcia-Herrera owns and trains the developing winner.
There were also two $16,500 paces for the track’s top claimers – which resulted in three winners. One contest found the camera unable to differentiate pocketsitter Rollin In New York and first-over America’s Guest at the end of a 1:53.3 mile. The Roll With Joe gelding Rollin In New York was driven by Jim Pantaleano for trainer Justin Pirillo and owner Kirk Doskocil; Americas Guest was handled by Braxten Boyd for trainer Mike Watson and owner Clifford Grundy.
Boyd sat the pocket with the Western Terror gelding Western Tyrant, went to the Pocono Pike, then outfoot pacesetting Major Desire by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.3 for a “semi-sweep” of the top claiming events. Western Tyrant, racing for trainer Jim Doherty Jr. and owner Richard Cacamese, has now won four of his last five races, including the last two from post eight.
Matt Kakaley led the driver’s colony with four wins, giving him 61 in the first 19 cards at Pocono in 2022. Three of the winners were for Michael Spaccarelli Jr., the track’s top trainer.
Monday’s (April 11) 1:30 p.m. (EDT) card at Pocono features Weiss Series second preliminary round action for three-year-old fillies, with four divisions of trotters and five sections of pacers each going for $20,000 and possible furthering of their chances to race in their rich series Championships on April 25. Program pages are available on the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Pocono)