Jackson, Grant take trotting co-features

WILKES-BARRE, PA – The hot combination of driver Tom Jackson, trainer Fred Grant, and owner/breeder Russell Williams continued their recent success with two-year-old trotters on Monday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, visiting Victory Lane with a pair of fillies.

There were four $11,700 events scheduled for two-year-olds at the mountain oval, one for each combination of sex and gait. The Bar Hopping-Melusine miss Luisella remained undefeated through two lifetime starts by speeding to victory in her group’s race in 1:56.3, lowering her mark by almost three seconds.

Jackson moved Luisella to the lead in front of the stands, circling early pacesetter Rheia Rose, then came home in :28.2 to keep her rival three lengths behind in a very promising outing.

LUISELLA REPLAY

With two trotting fillies needing a race and only one opportunity to face peers, Williams/Grant decided to give the Resolve-Afterimage filly Grace And Favor her debut in a maiden contest against older horses, both females and males. But the experience factor was overcome by the sheer talent of the baby filly, who was sent to the lead in the second quarter by Jackson and came home with a two length advantage over favored Hurrikane Willie G in 1:57.2.

GRACE AND FAVOR REPLAY

The meet’s leading driver, George Napolitano Jr., had four winners on the card. Tom Jackson visited Victory Lane three times – in addition to the two baby trotting distaffs, he guided the fastest performer of the day, Captain McKee, who now has won three straight after a 1:51 triumph.

The $15,300 events for the classclimbing “nw 8 races” horses will make for a triple feature on Tuesday at Pocono: pacing females in race eight, pacing males in race ten, and trotters in race thirteen. Program pages are available at www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.

For full race results, click here.

From the PHHA/The Downs