Well travelled Reclamation a winner

WILKES-BARRE PA – The A Rocknroll Dance mare Reclamation – foaled in Pennsylvania out of a Swedish-owned mare, sold at Lexington, then starting her career in Ireland and Wales before racing at Harrah's Philly and The Meadowlands – added another location to her already-stuffed harness racing itinerary, coming to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono for the Tuesday twilight card and promptly winning the $17,500 distaff pacing feature in 1:50.4.

Despite 25 days between races, driver Matt Kakaley had no problem moving Reclamation frontward after a :26.4 opener, reaching the half in :54 and the three-quarters in 1:22.3, then finishing strongly to remain 1¼ lengths clear of another well-traveled mare, the New Zealand import American Express N. Reclamation has a 5-4-1-0 record this year and an enviable 19-11-6-1 lifetime tab, with her earnings of $72,405 sure to be rising nicely in short order for trainer Ron Burke and owners W J Donovan of Delray Beach FL and Donal Murphy of Baltimore … Ireland.

In a $15,000 trot, the Explosive Matter gelding Explosivebreakaway showed some of the talent of his full sister Phaetosive while easily winning in a lifetime best 1:54.2. Driver Tom Jackson moved the winner uncovered off the second turn and utilized the backstretch to go up to the leader and then go by, drawing off with a :28.2 last quarter to be seven lengths clear on the money. Fred Grant conditions the impressive sophomore, who has four wins and three seconds in seven lifetime starts, and he also co-owns him with Janice Rubin, Steve Katz, and Murray Brown.

The Credit Winner gelding Such An Angel, who doesn't always put it all together but when he does can be quite devastating, came within a fifth of a second of the fastest local trotting mile of the year with a 1:52.1 victory, 8½ lengths to the good. That time also was within a fifth of the lifetime best of Such An Angel, who's now taken two of his last three and has earned $295,308 for trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Sam Caruso Jr.

The only starter to be entered for an optional claiming price in the last race on the last day of the Pocono racing week, Rosy Outlook was haltered for $18,000, bringing the four-day raceweek's total of claiming investment to $419,250, a record for a week here this season; the total of 20 claims tied the weekly mark, now set in each of the last three weeks. For the year, 175 claims have resulted in $3,153,750 changing hands in the pursuit of winning racing stock.

PHHA / Pocono

Jerry Connors