I Can’t Refuse wins tough battle at Pocono

WILKES-BARRE, PA – Over a Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania harness racing oval that gradually dried out from “sloppy” to “good” going over the course of Monday afternoon (May 6), the Southwind Frank mare I Cant Refuse let neither the outside post seven nor a pesky foe in Attis Rock deter her from visiting the winners circle after taking the $15,000 featured trot.

The two 2-1 choices were the strongest leavers, with Attis Rock letting I Cant Refuse go just after the :29.1 quarter, and those two drawing clear past a :59.1 half to a 1:28.3 three-quarters. Attis Rock tried his foe from the Pocono Pike, but I Cant Refuse withstood that one’s late efforts by 1¼ lengths at the end of the 1:58 mile just after the track had been upgraded.

Considering the feature was for the “nw 4 races” class, I Cant Refuse brought much more experience in finding Victory Lane, Monday’s mile being her ninth visit there, five of which were against Pennsylvania “A” Fair Sire Stakes opposition and thus not countable under the condition. Linda Schadel trains the winner and co-owns her with husband Tony.

I Cant Refuse was driven by Tyler Buter; he tied with Pocono’s top pilot Matt Kakaley and Jim Pantaleano with three victories on the card. John Butenschoen’s newly arrived stable made him the only conditioner with a pair of successes, with Buter and Kakaley behind his winners.

I CAN’T REFUSE REPLAY

The racing week at Pocono concludes Tuesday with a 1 p.m. card, which will feature a $16,000 pace for horses looking to take another step up the class ladder; there is also a carryover for the final race Hi-5 wager. Racing then resumes on Saturday at 1 p.m. with the “glamour boys” of the Pennsylvania-sired set, the three-year-old pacers, squaring off in four $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event.

Among the All-Stars entrants are last year’s Breeders Crown winner, Gem Quality, making his first start of 2024, along with two winners from each of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series contests held last Saturday at The Meadows.

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

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

From the PHHA / Pocono Downs