Cracker Coffee uses the Pocono Pike

WILKES-BARRE PA — Cracker Coffee did not look to be in the best of positions as the harness racing field wheeled around the final turn of the $15,500 pacing mares feature Tuesday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but she found good kick in the Pocono Pike and caught horses involved in fast early fractions to take the decision in a new lifetime mark of 1:51.2.

 

The daughter of Six Of Diamonds had been let go at 6-1 despite winning her last two against top company at Tioga Downs, and late on the final bend the crowd looked like they were on the right path, as the 4-5 chalk Lucy's Pearl was leading, with the 8-5 Jaded Dream ready to launch out of the pocket after her and Cracker Coffee gapping behind them a bit while third-inside.

 

But the two favorites had traded the lead through fast fractions of 26.4, 54.3, and 1:22.4, and when driver Eric Carlson asked Cracker Coffee for more as the Pocono Pike came clear, she found more quickly en route to a neck decision over Lucy's Pearl, with Deuces For Charity, who was behind the winner on the far turn, rallying deep in the Pike to photo out Jaded Dream for third, with those two only a half-length behind the winner on the money.

 

The win was the fifth of the year for Cracker Coffee, who boosted her lifetime bankroll over $185,000 with the win for trainer Amber Buter and owners LCL Racing.