Greg Peck trains co-feature winners

WILKES-BARRE, PA – Harness racing trainer Greg Peck, who rose to fame as the conditioner of the champion trotter Muscle Hill, combined with “Napolitano” to win the two $15,000 featured trots at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on the final Monday afternoon (Nov. 14) card of the year, as sulkysitter George Napolitano Jr. handled A Perfect Helen (Father Patrick) as she took a new mark of 1:54.2 and brother Anthony drove fellow sophomore Highgate (Muscle Hill) to success in a lifetime best 1:55.2.

A Perfect Helen overcame the outside post eight in her wire-to-wire victory, as the closing burst of favored Jaqen H’ghar came up short by a nose for the second straight week. The winning filly has a record of 6-3-2-1 since moving into Peck’s care after a mid-September purchase by Dieu Est Amour Stable.

A PERFECT HELEN REPLAY

Highgate carries on a “family tradition” under Peck’s care. Peck also owns him, came out of a forward position late in the backstretch, then pulled away for a 4¼ length triumph as the favorite upon coming in from Harrah’s Philadelphia.

HIGHGATE REPLAY

There were also three $15,000 paces, with two of them for males. Latest Era (JK Endofanera) took the faster cut in a lifetime best 1:53 despite 40-degree temperatures, rallying out of the pocket then withstanding Trey’s Charlie by a neck. The gelding, trained and owned by Gilbert Garcia-Herrera, was driven by Ridge Warren, who seemed in winning position for the majority of the card as he recorded four successes on the day.

The Always B Miki sophomore gelding Maximus Miki, who sold for $200,000 as a yearling then didn’t race until this past October 3, is making up for lost time in a hurry as he recorded his fourth straight win, here in 1:53.2. The three-year-old was hard-used during his race, but still kept it together to post a length triumph over late-clearing Bottle Rocket for driver Braxten Boyd and Team Cancelliere, trainer Tom and owner/brother John.

The sole feature class for fillies saw another heads-up drive by Ridge Warren, as Lets Ryde Girl, a sophomore daughter of Rockin Image, made every pole a winning one while stopping the timer in 1:54 while 3¼ lengths to the good. Trainer Mike Watson is now 2-for-3 with his recently acquired pupil, who changed hands to owner Patrick Gregory at the end of September.

The Downs has two more cards left in its racing season, both starting at 1:30 – Tuesday the 15^th and Saturday the 19^th. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available by clicking here.

For complete race results, click here.

From the PHHA / The Downs