WILKES-BARRE PA — Luck Be Withyou has been in love with the red clay surface of The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono for going on four years now, and the harness racing six-year-old son of Western Ideal continues to show no sign of passing ardor, winning Saturday $25,000 winner-over handicap pace in 1:48.4, with the 2015 Franklin Final winner holding off the 2017 Franklin champion Keystone Velocity by a nose.
George Napolitano Jr. hustled Luck Be Withyou away quickly from the outermost post seven (he and Keystone Velocity had shaken for the two outside starting spots), and with George's brother Anthony hustling Polak A away at high speed to grab the two-hole, Keystone Velocity was guided into third early by Simon Allard as Luck Be Withyou posted "leisurely" fractions of 26.3 and 55.1.
The pace quickened to a 27 rate during quarter three (1:22.1) – then quickened even further in the last panel, with Luck Be Withyou stepping his last fraction in 26.3. Keystone Velocity, three lengths out at the stretch call, flew up the Pocono Pike (a la his win over Mel Mara in this year's Franklin), but this night's rally came up a nose shy, with Polak A a good third.
The win was the 16th in the 25-start career of "Luck" at Pocono, which began when he won his Breeders Crown event here at two, and has continued to the point that he has taken his seasonal mark here all five of his racing years, including his 1:47.4 speed badge last year. Trained by Chris Oakes, Luck Be Withyou has now amassed $1,439,791 for owner John Craig, with his Pocono plunder alone approaching three-quarters of a million.
You don't often associate North American leading trainer Ron Burke with the word "longshot," but Burke led the local conditioners colony here last year with four $50+ wins, and exactly 4 hours and 45 minutes after his Check Six posted a $77.00 upset in the Sam McKee Pace on Hambletonian Day, Mach On The Beach, another Burke trainee, crossed the wire first at Pocono to return $73.40.
Two-year-old colt pacers take to the Downs' oval for the next two nights in the third preliminary leg of the Pennsylvania-sired series, with Stallion Series horses going in five cuts on Sunday and Sire Stakes stock, including the exciting Done Well, in three divisions Sunday.
PHHA / Pocono