Seven wins for George Napolitano, Jr

WILKES-BARRE, PA — Benji’s Best, next-to-last at the half, out closed Babes Dig Me and Sugartown in a three-across-the-wire harness racing finish to take the $16.000 claiming handicap pacing feature in 1:50.3 Saturday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

The track’s perennial leading driver, George Napolitano Jr., won seven races on the day, including a victory with the sharp Busboy Hanover, who posted the fastest mile of the day, 1:49.1, at the second-highest claiming level, and one with Atta Boy Dan, the 12-year-old who was the 2019 Pacer of the Year locally and Saturday recorded his 80th career triumph in 1:51.3.

In the $16,000 featured pace, after a contested early pace of :26.3 and :54.2. Sugartown led the advancing backstretch outer tier, with Babes Dig Me and Benji’s Best in the next two positions behind him.

Sugartown cleared to the lead at the 1:22.2 three-quarters, with the other two contenders positioned for a good stretch fight, and the trio battled on to the wire, with Benji’s Best getting a head ahead of Babes Dig Me right on the money under Marcus Miller’s urging; Sugartown was another nose back in third.

BENJI’S BEST REPLAY

This was the fourth straight win for Benji’s Best and the third since he was claimed for $12,500 at The Meadows by Rags To Riches Of PA LLC — he’s now earned $21,400 since the claim. Travis Alexander trains the in-form Roll With Joe gelding.

A $15,700 high-level trot was won by the Cash Hall gelding Chin Chin Hall, who went to the lead under the wire the first time then powered home in :55.4 – 27.2 to win easily in 1:52.

Jason Bartlett drove the winner of $603,339 for trainer Nifty Norman and the partnership of Oldford Racing LLC and David Mc Duffee.

Sunday’s card, which begins at 5 p.m., features three $35,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars race for two-year-old pacing colts; among the entrants is Wearinmysixshooter, a son of Captaintteacherous who paced in 1:53 in his lifetime debut at The Meadows.

For full race results, click here.

From the PHHA/The Downs