The Downs Week in Review

HARNESS RACING PACER OF THE WEEK: STELLAR BB

Since coming in from a stint at Tioga Downs, this four-year-old gelding has been tearing it up at Pocono. The light really clicked on for Stellar BB when he was claimed and joined the Tee Wine barn. He immediately responded by ripping off back-to-back condition wins at Pocono in his next two starts for the new barn.

On Saturday afternoon, he took on the toughest claiming group at Pocono ($30,000 to $40,000 claiming handicap) to see if he could keep it rolling. Leaving from post position #1 in a field of eight with George Napolitano Jr. in the bike, Stellar BB was on his game and then some. He rolled to his third straight victory and did so in 1:49:4, a new career-best winning time.

HONORABLE MENTION PACERS
*Captain McKee (Tom Jackson, Bucky Angle Jr.), who moved up in class on Monday afternoon to win his third straight condition pace, getting it done in 1:51.  Benson Boys N (Anthony Napolitano, Darren Taneyhill), who captured his second straight claiming handicap pace on Saturday in 1:50:3. Belmont Major N (Tyler Buter, Hunter Oakes), who won his second straight condition pace on Tuesday and improved his career-best time to 1:49:3.

TROTTER OF THE WEEK: DEWEY ARNOLD

This three-year-old gelding trained by David Dewhurst has been a dynamo both in New York and in his frequent stops at Pocono, where he won the last time he was here in June in a career-best 1:53. But of the eight victories that Dewey Arnold had rolled up this year, most came against his own age or slightly older.

On Saturday at Pocono, the task would be beating more experienced trotters in a condition race with a purse of $13,000 for non-winners of $12,000 in the last five starts. Leaving from post position #2 in a field of six, Dewey Arnold was sent to the front end by driver Jason Bartlett.

He had to deal with former Pocono Trotter of the Year Rich And Miserable late, but he finished up the race strong. The end result was Dewey Arnold’s 9th win of the year in 15 tries, this one coming in 1:52:4, fastest trotting time of the week at Pocono and a new career-best.

HONORABLE MENTION TROTTERS

Luisella (Tom Jackson, Fred Grant), a two-year-old filly who won her second straight at Pocono to start her career, this time in a career-best 1:56:3. All Champy (Marcus Miller, Sofia Zingale), who racked up his second straight condition win on Saturday with a winning time of 1:54:2. Identity Police (Mattias Melander, Marcus Melander), who followed up his maiden victory in his last race with a condition won on Tuesday at Pocono in a career-best 1:56:2.

LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: WINNING WORDS

With Eric Goodell in the bike, this pacing mare stunned a condition field on Sunday night with a win at 42-1, paying $86.60 on a $2 win ticket.

DRIVER OF THE WEEK: TOM JACKSON

Tom has been really effective lately driving two-year-old horses at Pocono, and two of his victories out of three total wins on Monday came aboard two-year-olds.

TRAINER OF THE WEEK: MARK FORD

When He’s Electric won a condition pace on Sunday night at Pocono, it gave Ford 4,000 training victories for his career, and then he added win number 4,001 later in the program. That will do it for this week at Pocono, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me here. 

by Jim Beviglia, for The Downs