The Downs Week in Review

HARNESS RACING PACER OF THE WEEK: WAR-N-MUNN

This eight-year-old stallion has been on one of the biggest tears of his career over the last month or so at Pocono. It started with three straight wins at the $20,000 to $25,000 claiming handicap pacing level, and continued when War-N-Munn stepped up for a victory at the $30,000 to $40,000 level on June 19. On Saturday, he faced that same class again in search of five in a row as the 1-5 betting favorite.

Leaving from the outside post in a field of six, he sat third in the mile early as Albergo Hanover set a blistering pace. Trained by Darren Taneyhill, War-N-Munn was set in motion on the back stretch by George Napolitano Jr. and quickly pounced on the leader. Once he cleared he opened up a comfortable advantage all the way to the line, finishing off that fifth straight victory in 1:50:4.

HONORABLE MENTION PACERS
Shecandance N (Marcus Miller, Jose Godinez), a mare who moved up in class to capture Sunday night’s featured distaff condition pace in 1:51:4 for her second straight victory Hickfromfrenchlick (Mark MacDonald, Ray Schnittker), who scored the feature condition win on Saturday in 1:49:4, fastest pacing time of the week at Pocono Hulou (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke), a three-year-old who stepped up in class and won his second straight condition pace at Pocono, this time in a career-best 1:51:4.

TROTTER OF THE WEEK: KISS AN ANGEL

Young trotters are often beset by inconsistency, but you can practically set your clock by the performances of this three-year-old filly at Pocono in recent weeks. After churning out her maiden win on May 24 at Pocono, Kiss An Angel followed it up with two more condition victories. The Anette Lorentzon trainee returned on Tuesday afternoon looking to once again roil in the non-winners of two fillies and mares trotting group.

Leaving from post position #4 in a field of eight as the 3-5 favorite, she hustled to the lead around the first turn. Her previous three wins were in front-trotting fashion, so Kiss An Angel looked comfortable out in front with Matt Kakaley in the bike, extending to a wide margin on the back stretch. In the home stretch, she was able to gear it down and ended up winning by two lengths in 1:56:1, matching her career-best in the process.

HONORABLE MENTION TROTTING
Prasiolite (Tyler Buter, John Butenschoen), a two-year-old filly who stepped up to face older horses on Monday at Pocono and captured her second straight condition win, this one in a career-best 1:57:2. Clarion Hall (Tyler Buter, John Butenschoen), who marched to his second straight claiming handicap win on Monday in a career-best 1:54:3. Truemass Volo (Marcus Miller, Wayne Short), whose condition trotting win on Saturday came in 1:53:4, the fastest trotting time of the week at Pocono.

LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: BAMSKI

This condition pacer came flying up late for a win on Saturday afternoon with Tyler Buter in the bike at 21-1, paying of $44 on a $2 win ticket.

DRIVER OF THE WEEK: MATT KAKALEY

Matt was on the board with at least one driving win in all four racing days at Pocono, and he capped the week by leading the community in wins on Tuesday afternoon.

TRAINER OF THE WEEK: DARREN TANEYHILL After scoring five wins the previous week on Saturday, Taneyhill came back this Saturday at Pocono and tallied up three more training winners. That will do it for this week, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at jbeviglia@mohegansunpocono.com .

by Jim Beviglia, for The Downs