Pocono Downs feature goes to Pembroke Wildcat

WILKES-BARRE, PA – Pembroke Wildcat, who was second to Ideal Kiss last week in his return to owner/trainer Brittany Robertson after a $30,000 claim, turned the tables on his rival in the $20,000 claiming handicap pacing feature Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, taking advantage of a perfect trip to tally in 1:50.

Ideal Kiss, going for his fifth straight victory in this company, made the lead despite the outside post nine in 28.1, but then had to post identical middle splits of 27 to keep out challenger Pickled Preacher, himself a winner of four of his last six vs. lesser and stepping up off a claim.

While those two argued that wicked 54 middle half, Pembroke Wildcat was tagging along in the pocket for driver Anthony Napolitano, and in the stretch the victorious altered son of Western Maverick proved the strongest by 1¼ lengths.

Pembroke Wildcat now sports career earnings of $336,227, and the 1:50 time gave the six-year-old a new mark.

In the $17,500 conditioned pace co-feature, the pocket also proved to provide the winning journey, as Sir Pugsley made it two of his last three by coming on late to post a 1:50.3 victory.

Driver Pat Berry hustled the son of American Ideal to command before the 27.1 quarter, but Feeling Cam Lucky was out and clambering for the front by that point, and Berry let him go to sit behind midrace fractions of 55.2 and 1:22.4.

In the stretch, Sir Pugsley had more pace left than the pacesetter, going by by a neck for trainer Ron Burke and the team of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

From the PHHA/Pocono Downs