George Napolitano, Jr. reclaims lead in driver standings

WILKES-BARRE, PA – Harness racing driver George Napolitano Jr. teamed with the sons of Cantab Hall to sweep the $15,000 trotting features Monday afternoon (July 22) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, and in his season long duel with Matt Kakaley, Napolitano has reclaimed the top spot in the mountain track’s standings.

Capricious One covered a lot of extra ground in winning the 1:54.4 faster division, being parked with cover to a :28 quarter, then making the lead not that far before a :57.1 half. The winning gelding hit the three-quarters in 1:25.4 and opened a big lead turning for home, which he needed because favored Mt Bluebird was coming on wide, making up ground with every step. But Capricious One held on by three parts of a length while taking a new mark for trainer Jenny Melander and owners Melander Racing Inc., Noonan Harness Racing LLC, and Suojalampi Stable Inc. (“Suojalampi” being a popular lake for fishing in Finland).

CAPRICIOUS ONE REPLAY

The other feature saw Napolitano bring in the sophomore gelding Soncando, who has now won two of his last three after a 1:57 victory for trainer Clifton Green and owner Robert Allison Jr. Soncando yielded to sit in the pocket, then utilized the Pocono Pike in holding off Mischievous G by a neck.

SONCANDO REPLAY

Tyler Buter and George Napolitano Jr. both won three races on the Monday card.

Tuesday’s 1 p.m. weekending card has a strong $17,000 pacing feature for developing horses that could flirt with the 1:50 mark under ideal conditions. Free Pocono programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.

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

From the PHHA / Pocono Downs