Congressional lays down law, Asteroid strikes

WILKES-BARRE PA – The pacer Congressional (Always B Miki) and the trotter Asteroid (Creatine) proved the best in their respective $18,5000 fast-class harness racing features on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

The ultra-consistent gelding Congressional, who has used his speed to work out many good trips in the top classes at Pocono, raced on the front end in the top pace, putting everybody in behind in a :26.4 opener, getting a breather to a :56 half, then following up with quarters of :27.2 and then :27.1 to ward off the prolonged first-over challenge of 53-1 almost-upsetter Lou’s Sweetrevenge by half a length in 1:50.3, with Nicholas Beach just edged for second from the two-hole. Unraced at two, Congressional has now earned $130,118 off a 2024 summary of 33-10-9-7 after also earning in six figures at three.

CONGRESSIONAL REPLAY

In the fast-class trot, the ridgling Asteroid moved to the lead after a :28 opener, put up middle fractions of :56.2 and 1:24.3, then left the field behind while in full control to the wire at the end of the 1:53 mile. The lightly-raced six-year-old has ability when on his game, as shown by his lifetime record of 15 wins in 40 starts and earnings of $318,771. George Napolitano Jr.,  top driver on the day with four successes, drove the talented trotter for trainer Jeff Cullipher and Pollack Racing LLC.

ASTEROID REPLAY

There were also four $17,000 events for up-and-coming horses, two on each gait. The quicker of the second-line paces went to the Heston Blue Chip colt Rush In, who took control early, then sped home in :54.3 – :26.3 with nobody able to gain on him in the 1:51 mile. A six-time winner this season, Rush In was driven by George Napolitano Jr. for trainer Linda Toscano and the partnership of Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, South Mountain Stables, and Island Sun Stable.

RUSH IN REPLAY

In the other pace, the Captaintreacherous gelding Captain Up was settled in third early by driver Brad Irvine and sat in, found room up the inside late and came through steadily to equal his mark of 1:51.3. Laura Shock is the trainer and owner of the well-traveled winner, who came to Pocono from Running Aces via Lexington.

CAPTAIN UP REPLAY

In what was on paper the tougher of the pair of subfeature trots, favorite Dejerate Hanover, on an eight-race winning streak, made a break early, leaving the path clear for the E L Titan sophomore gelding Super Duper Cooper to win easily while lowering his mark to 1:54. Jason Bartlett quarter-moved with the three-year-old, recently second in his New York championship, and had no anxious moments thereafter in triumphing for trainer John Butenschoen while raising his lifetime earnings to $332,847 for Timothy Drag, James Crawford IV, and Carl Austin Jr.

The other division went a tick faster at 1:53.4, and in an exciting stretch battle it was the Six Pack sophomore filly St Pauli Girl having the most trot on the money to edge Scotty Deo and pacesetting Diamante Hanover while taking a new mark. Ridge Warren handledthe winner, moving to conditioned company from stakes action, for trainer/owner D.R. Ackerman.

Pocono’s racing week continues on Monday and Tuesday with a 1 p.m. start; the Monday card will feature a carryover into the Pick 5 wager beginning with the fifth race. Saturday was a rough day in general for favorites for most of the card: in addition to the Pick 5 bet, three of the first six Superfectas, including the first two, went uncovered, causing immediate carryovers, and only a pair of the first eleven chalks paraded back to Victory Lane.

Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

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

From the PHHA/Pocono