Keppler, Shults, and Verruso capture AHDC features

WILKES-BARRE, Pa.— Scott Keppler snatched the win in the closing strides of the lone $10,000 division for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Trot at Pocono Downs on Saturday (Oct. 25) while Michael Shults and Anthony Verruso found the winner’s circle in the pair of $7,500 AHDC Pace divisions the next day (Sunday, Oct. 26) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

In the AHDC Trot, Scott Keppler zipped off a pocket ride with Get Some Cash to down tempo-setter Velociraptor (driven by Cote Keim) in a 1:56.2 mile. Keppler waited as Velociraptor battled 47-1 shot Keystone Thunder (Charles Longo) through early fractions of :28.2 and :57.4, and remained steady from the pocket once Keystone Thunder fatigued in the backstretch. Velociraptor clocked three-quarters in 1:26.2 and set down for home as Keppler activated his charge. Get Some Cash surged off the covered ride and put a neck up on Velociraptor at the finish to win while Party At Seven (Raymond Burt) closed for third and Barn Credit (Anthony Verruso) saved ground for fourth.

GET SOME CASH REPLAY

Joe Pavia Jr. trains Get Some Cash, a 6-year-old gelding by Cash Hall, for owner Scott Keppler. He paid $11.60 to win.

Michael Shults powered with a first-over brush moving for the last turn to seize the lead and the win the first of two AHDC Pace divisions at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Shults landed in third with Flying Tiger as even-money favorite Camlachie Chrome (Geovany Hernandez) cut a :28.4 first quarter before hitting the brake to a 1:00.1 half. Upon quickening for the backstretch, Camlachie Chrome jumped into a gallop, stymying Uncle Coz (Frank Tsipouras) from the pocket while forcing Shults three wide as he launched Flying Tiger into an attack. Flying Tiger swooped to the lead after three-quarters in 1:29.3 and stayed on the muscle through the remainder to notch a length win over Try Line (Charles Longo) closing for second. Uncle Coz took third and Costa Diva (Cote Keim) finished fourth.

Michael Shults trains Flying Tiger, a 6-year-old gelding by Always B Miki, for owner Blazer One Racing. He paid $9.20 to win.

Anthony Verruso later won from a first-over move with even-money chalk Iammrbrightside N in a 1:55 mile. Verruso settled into fifth to a :28.1 first quarter cut by Cheese Omelet (Frank Tsipouras), who then cruised to a :58.1 half. He accelerated up the backstretch, at which point Verruso angled Iammrbrightside N off the pylons and lifted from midfield towards the leader in the rush to three-quarters, timed in 1:26.3. Iammrbrightside N never relented in the last quarter mile and overhauled Cheese Omelet in the straightaway to pull clear for a 1-1/2-length win. Cheese Omelet settled for second with Redding Hanover (Joe Lee) finishing third and Master Miki (Geovany Hernandez) closing for fourth.

Veronica Spicer trains Iammrbrightside N, a 15-year-old stallion by Julius Caesar, for owner Anthony Verruso. He paid $4 to win.

AHDC action resumes with trotting divisions at Pocono Downs on Saturday (Nov. 1) and pacing divisions at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday (Nov. 2). First-race post time at Pocono is 1 p.m. (EDT) and 12:40 p.m. (EDT) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

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

by Ray Cotolo, for the AHDC