Down under import takes fourth straight

WILKES-BARRE, PA – New Zealand import Delishka N paced to her fourth straight victory – and topped the four longest shots in the field in the Superfecta — in posting a 1:52.1 triumph in the $15,700 distaff featured on a Sunday harness racing twilight card over a Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono surface that had been downgraded to “sloppy by midcard

due to rain.

Anthony Napolitano, who led the Pocono drivers colony on the day with four victories, hustled the daughter of Bettor’s Delight away well from the rail, pushing second choice Eclipse Me N well past a :26.2 quarter before yielding for the pocket.

Favored Watch Me Now N came up first-over not that far past a :55 half, and the two favorites had a hard battle to a 1:23.1 three-quarters – helping the cause of the outsiders.

The 10-1 Delishka N was able to utilize the Pocono Pike and posted a head victory over 30-1 shot Bettors Heart N, who also came up the inside after being last at the three-quarters, with 15-1 Abigail Dawn coming on for third and 11-1 chance Turnthefrownaround narrowing in from way back for fourth, as the four outsiders were separated by only a half-length at the finish.

Darren Taneyhill trains the sharp winner, who has a lifetime bankroll of $428,838, for D’Elegance Stable IX and Carmen Iannacone.

DELISHKA N REPLAY

Before the precipitation came and the track was still rated “fast,” Tony Ciuffetelli took his second local American Harness Drivers Club amateur series race with his own Inaperfectworld in 1:57.4 – slightly faster than his 1:58.1 victory here on June 13. The Andover Hall mare, trained by Jordan Derue, controlled the pace and won by three lengths, and she and her owner/driver seem a good “fit.”

A quartet of $11,700 events for two-year-olds, one for each grouping of sex and gait, are the features for the 12:30 Monday card, and may point up a star or two of the near future. Program pages are available here.

For full race results, click here.

From the PHHA/The Downs