Glengarry Knight N, a double winner in the preliminaries of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series for $25,000 base-claiming-price level, came off of cover and just caught American Rebel to take the richest purse of the year to date at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, $50,000, in winning his series Championship in 1:52.3.
A Real Miracle streaked to the early lead in the contest, rejecting the bid of favoured Melanies Tedy for the front spot and forcing that one to tuck in, then letting stablemate American Rebel go to the top past a :27.1 quarter. The last-named pacer hit the half in :56, with Melanies Tedy forced to accept first-over duties and Glengarry Knight N following his cover under the guidance of Anthony Napolitano.
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On Monday morning, Horsemen at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono will be checking with the Downs’ Racing Office to confirm that their horses – most of them new barn members after Saturday’s third and final preliminary round of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series – had enough points to make their rich finals on Saturday, March 6, and they likely will also be checking the availability of driver Anthony Napolitano, who had six wins Saturday, five in claiming preliminaries.
The horses entered in the section of the Series for $25,000-base price horses saw Melanies Tedy become the prelim point leader by virtue of a 1:54.3 triumph over sloppy going, joining Glengarry Knight N and Horsing Around as two-time winners in this class. Glengarry Knight N was second-leading point earner and Horsing Around, despite his double victories, did not even rank in the top nine horses in the totals, as he skipped the first week, and now has to hope for defections to get in the $50,000 Championship.
The 2021 harness racing season got underway on Saturday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, and while the temperature hovered just above 20°F, the action was hot on the racetrack, at the claiming box, and if your horse was driven by Matt Kakaley.
Featured during the curtain-raiser were the first preliminary legs of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series for two divisions: horses with a $25,000 base tag and horses based at $15,000. The claiming prices rise a little in the next two preliminaries which may be part explanation for the incredible total of 41 claims during the card. All told, $825,000 worth of horseflesh went home to a new barn after the races as hopefully the right horse for their purchasers to chase after their $50,000 and $30,000 Championships respectively on March 6.