Homicide Hunter’s barn mate wins feature

WILKES-BARRE PA – After his stablemate in Team Oakes, Homicide Hunter, became the fastest trotter ever with a 1:48.4 victory at Lexington earlier in the day, the Rocknroll Hanover gelding Scott Rocks upheld the honor of the pacing end of the stable with a 1:49.2 victory in the $30,000 Open pace Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

George Napolitano Jr., teaming with trainer Hunter Oakes successfully for the third time and notching a personal fourth triumph on the Saturday Pocono card, sent the speedy pacer to his preferred spot at the head of the field, cutting out fractions of 26.2, 54.4, and 1:22.2, as first Check Six and then Music Is Art challenged. Through the stretch, Scott Rocks drew off from those rivals, then withstood a game inside bid from Franco Rayner N by ¾ of a length. The durable eight-year-old, whose 1:49 win at Northfield in 2016 still stands as the world record for older pacing geldings on a half-mile track, notched his 50th career victory in the Saturday feature, with his earnings now up to $839,029.

In the $20,000 claiming handicap pace, Pembroke Wildcat won his third straight contest, having to overcome the first-over trip and oft-winning pacesetter Ideal Kiss to tally in 1:50.1. The victorious Western Maverick gelding, second choice to the pacesetting favorite, gradually wore down the frontstepper under the guidance of Anthony Napolitano and had a two length margin on the money, with pocketsitter Townslight Hanover photoing out the hard-used pacesetter for the deuce. Brittany Robertson trains and owns the career winner of $355,227.

PHHA / Pocono