WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Cash Hall sophomore gelding Coventry Hall looks like he is finally growing into his pedigree, recording his second harness racing win in his last three starts with an effortless 1:54.4 triumph in a $10,400 trot at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Tuesday afternoon.
Coventry Hall is out of the mare Canland Hall, which makes him a three-quarter brother to Hall of Famer Cantab Hall and a full brother to the half-million dollar winner Chin Chin Hall. The $210,000 yearling raced in stakes exclusively in his first ten starts at two and three, with a second in a Tompkins Stake and thirds in Reynolds, Currier & Ives, and Geers competition.
Away from stakes company on August 14, Coventry Hall broke his maiden in 1:53.3 at Harrah's Philly, then followed that race up with a fourth in the Zweig, with only the likes of Ready For Moni, Back Of The Neck, and stablemate King Alphonso ahead of him. At Pocono on Tuesday he went right to the lead and never looked back, 3½ lengths ahead of his nearest competition at the wire for trainer/driver Ãke Svanstedt and Enghavegaard Aalborg APS, and with that pedigree perhaps now he has enough confidence to be a factor in the late-season classics.
The track's winningest driver, George Napolitano Jr., and Marcus Miller each had three victories during the card – including one each in the same race: the camera could not separate Broadway Promise (Miller) and Striking Encore (Napolitano) at the end of an $8800 claiming trot that went in 1:55.3.
There will be a carryover of $200,733.90 in the Rainbow Pick 5 (have a unique ticket with the winners of the last five races) when racing resumes on Saturday afternoon at 12:30 p.m.
From the PHHA / The Downs