No Words, Stay Classy, Irish Coffee take Pocono contests

WILKES-BARRE PA – Harness racing horses on the way up the class ladder were featured in $15,000 contests on Tuesday afternoon (Mar. 12) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, under conditions that hinted of a pleasant upcoming spring.

No Words (Tellitlikeitis) suffered interference when pacesetting favorite El Yerno made a break coming into the stretch in the event for pacing males, but he quickly righted and stormed home five-wide from seventh to be victorious in 1:52.3 for driver Patrick Ryder.

NO WORDS REPLAY

The Michael Calderone trainee has now won three of his last four starts for lessee Exceedequine.com.

On the distaff sidewheeling side, the sophomore filly Stay Classy (Stay Hungry) came a long way uncovered, then held off the horse on her back, Cannery Row, by a neck while equaling her lifetime best of 1:55.2 for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Jeff Cullipher, and Pollock Racing LLC.

STAY CLASSY REPLAY

The developing trotter section saw Irish Coffee (Father Patrick) team with the meet’s leading driver, Matt Kakaley (a four-time winner during all three local cards this week), for an easy win in 1:56.4. Jennifer Bongiorno conditions him for her Jennifer Bongiorno Stable LLC.

IRISH COFFEE REPLAY

Racing resumes at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Pocono, with the final preliminaries for the Game Of Claims Series for top-priced horses yielding this question: “Who is going to wind up with Dontpokethedragon after the race?” The $30,000 claiming tag may not daunt anyone, given that the pacer has won eight times this year, including twice easily in his preliminaries, and will be going for his eleventh straight win ahead of March 23’s $35,000 series Championship. In all, there will be five cuts of this GOC going for $17,500, with good money ahead for anyone with a sharp horse who can win the game of claiming musical chairs ownership Saturday. Free Pocono programs are available at www.phha.org.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From the PHHA / Pocono