Cold night doesn’t slow down Verruso

It was a bit misty and the temperatures dropped considerably for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) amateur harness racing trot at Mohegan Sun Pocono Downs on Sunday.

Unfortunately for the even money post time favorite Clarion Hall with Joe Pennacchio driving the temperature wasn’t the only thing that cooled off. The big gelding’s streak of three wins in a row including the AHDC race last week came to a crashing halt.

Clarion Hall did leave the gate as he has in weeks past, but Lucky June Bug and Bob Krivelin made him work pretty hard to get the top this week. Pennacchio was able rate a 30:3 second quarter which jammed up the field a bit. With the trotters in tight quarters, Big Nudge guided by Tony Verruso, who was running up on French Moni and Paul Minore, pulled first up from fourth and steadily gained on the leader. Midway up the backstretch Verruso urged his horse as he saw Clarion Hall not as sharp as the previous week shortening strides and cleared to the front heading into the last turn. Lucky June Bug slid out behind him but could not muster a late bid and just held of a strong closing Silvermass Volo and Maria de Bruijn for second.

BIG NUDGE/TONY VERRUSO REPLAY

For the winner Big Nudge trained by Symon Spicer, it was his first win of the year in nine tries returning $10.60 to win and trotting an impressive mile in 1:55:3. It was Tony Verruso’s eleventh win of the year and twenty fifth race hitting the board in thirty three starts for a UDRS of .522.

For ADHC race results, click here.

by John Manzi, for the American Harness Drivers Club