Four different winners over two tracks in AHDC

WILKES-BARRE, Pa.— Members of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) had a busy but competitive Sunday (June 1) of racing with a pair of pacing harness racing events at Harrah’s Philadelphia in the afternoon and a pair of trotting events many miles north at Pocono Downs in the evening – and each race saw a different face visit the winner’s circle.

In the AHDC 2 Pace, Joe Lee opened Sunday festivities with a 1:56.2 win behind Pacing Major N (Art Major) as the 2-1 second choice. Lee secured a close seat in third to a :27.4 first quarter before moving off the pegs to pass tiring leader Bungalow Bill N (driven by Philip Kozak) towards a :56.4 half. Pacing Major N then laid sights on the new leader, 4-5 favorite Lazaruls (Yogi Sheridan), and perched in the pocket to three-quarters in 1:25.2 before springing into an attack for the drive to the finish to grab victory by three-quarter lengths. Lazaruls finished second with Bronsons Delight (Anthony Verruso) rallying for third and A Stud Named Sam (Raymond Burt) taking fourth.

PACING MAJOR N REPLAY

Al Annunziata owns and trains Pacing Major N, a 12-year-old stallion by Art Major. He paid $6.60 to win.

Sheridan scored revenge a few races later to deliver 7-2 second choice Coligny Hanover (Sunshine Beach) to a pillar-to-post win out of post 8 in the AHDC 1 Pace. Coligny Hanover hustled forward to take the point into a :26.3 first quarter and just cruised ahead of stablemate I Fear Nothing (Tony Beltrami) through middle fractions of :56.1 and 1:23.4. The Izzy Estrada-trained tandem coasted in one-two – Coligny Hanover the better by 1-3/4 lengths – in a 1:53.2 mile with Master Miki (Geovany Hernandez) giving chase in third and Rose Run Woodrow (Joe Lee) in fourth.

Coligny Hanover, a 6-year-old gelding by Sunshine Beach, competes for owner Estrada Racing LLC. He paid $9 to win.

Several hours later and many miles north on Interstate 476, Snowman Hanover (Peter Gerry) swooped to a mild upset in the first division of the AHDC Trot at Pocono Downs. Gerry landed last while Archibald (Mike Polansky) took the field to the first quarter in :28.1 with Lionhead (Yogi Sheridan) pushing to challenge. Sheridan crossed to the lead before a :58.1 half while Archibald angled outside and swiftly broke stride, forcing 6-5 favorite Game On Girls (Tony Beltrami) three wide. All the while Gerry sat back and readied his charge to three-quarters in 1:27.1.

Game On Girls grabbed the lead to the final turn while Gerry spun Snowman Hanover three wide. Snowman Hanover built momentum on the wide side and clawed forward after a desperate Game On Girls to clinch the win in the final strides of a 1:58.1 mile. Game On Girls settled for second, beaten a head, with Winneress (Anthony Verruso) taking third and Lionhead fading to fourth.

Richard Aiken trains Snowman Hanover, a 5-year-old gelding by Bar Hopping, for owner Arden Homestead Stable. He paid $13.80 to win.

After getting foiled with the chalk in division one, Tony Beltrami returned in division two and rallied to a 1:55.3 win with Just The Facts. Beltrami settled into the middle of the pack while Win Together S (Andrew Adamczyk) fought for the lead through a :27.1 first quarter and moved to retake control from Big Limo (Anthony Verruso) through a :56.3 half. Town Victor (Yogi Sheridan), the 2-1 favorite, then brushed forward to take the top as Win Together S began a retreat to three-quarters in 1:25.3.

Beltrami meanwhile had Just The Facts off the pylons and marched forward to gradually reel in the leg-weary Town Victor. Just The Facts notched victory by 1-3/4 lengths while Town Victor just held second from hard-closing Big Limo (Anthony Verruso), who was placed fourth for undercutting Resolute Bay (Joe Lee) in the final turn. Resolute Bay, who finished fourth, moved up to third.

Jamie Morgan trains Just The Facts, a 6-year-old gelding by Explosive Matter, for owner JML Racing LLC. He paid $10.80 to win.

AHDC action continues next Sunday (June 8) with pacing divisions at Harrah’s Philadelphia and trotting divisions at Pocono Downs. First-race post time at Harrah’s Philadelphia is 12:40 p.m. (EDT) and 6 p.m. at Pocono.

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

by Ray Cotolo, for the AHDC