Feature winners are climbing the class ladder

WILKES-BARRE PA – Horses looking to climb the classladder to higher levels held the spotlight Saturday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with a trio of $17,000 harness racing events featured.

On the pace, the Captain Crunch sophomore gelding Southwind Celsius won his third straight in this class, but it was only the seventh of his still-brief career, so he still has eligibility to this “nw 8 races” level.

He again was very impressive in victory on Saturday, going up three-wide in the middle of the backstretch to get to two-wide raw and battling his main opponent, the pacesetting De La Hoya Hanover.

That battle was over quickly, as Southwind Celsius went right by on the turn and won by open lengths, pacing his own back half in :53.3, much of it two- and three-wide, during the 1:50.1 mile as he triumphed for driver Anthony Napolitano and owners David Hamm, Glenn Phillips, and Pit Bull Stable LLC.

SOUTHWIND CELSIUS REPLAY

Seven Reps, an altered three-year-old son of Muscle Hill, rebounded from a break in his last start, holding off the resilient filly Tuis Angel by two lengths to win his trot division of the headliners in a lifetime best of 1:53.3. A winner of three straight before the miscue last time, Seven Reps regained his winning form for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Lawrence Karr, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.

SEVEN REPS REPLAY

The Cantab Hall gelding Doc Nixon is now undefeated in three starts with trotting hopples and four races in a row overall, as the Saratoga shipper took advantage of the famed Pocono Pike to post a new mark of 1:54.3. Doc Nixon sat the pocket behind pacesetter Chef Rocco, then had enough late to rally for the 1 ¼ length tally for driver George Napolitano Jr. and trainer Brianne Sinclair, the latter co-owner with Ashleigh Bailey and Mrs. Amber Longo.

DOC NIXON REPLAY

Fastest mile of the day was a 1:49.2 mile put in by Da Delightful (Bettor’s Delight) in a $14,500 fast-class pace. Da Delightful beat heavy favorite I Did It Myway two weeks ago at Philly, so even starting from the outside post seven 11-1 seemed like a generous price, and one fast burst out of the gate saw the stallion put his post “handicap” in the rearview mirror and setting the pace. I Did It Myway grinded relentlessly in the last half, but Da Delightful maintained a neck margin to the wire for driver Braxten Boyd and owner/trainer Mark Silva.

DA DELIGHTFUL REPLAY

Pocono’s leading driver Matt Kakaley was joined by Anthony Napolitano at the top of the day’s sulkysmith standings with three wins each; Pocono’s leading trainer Ron Burke was joined by Darren Taneyhill for most winners sent out with a pair of victories.

Racing continues at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Monday and Tuesday afternoon, with first race post time 1 p.m. on both days; on Monday the first race Superfecta pool will include a carryover.

Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

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

From the PHHA / Pocono