Rain came to the mountain oval late on the Tuesday card, with the track downgraded to "good" by the time Kakaley teamed with the trotting gelding Mikey Likes It to take a three-horse photo over Unforgetable and Justlikehim in 1:57, a lifetime mark.
The altered son of Mutineer had been second in all three of his recent starts, all at Pocono and all at 2-1 or less, but the crowd kept faith in him by sending him off the favorite, and he kept on grinding gamely late after gaining uncovered to tally for trainer Jean Drolet and owner Nancy Deluca.
You don't see many winners of $342,912 in a "nw 4 races or $40,000 lifetime class," but the Somebeachsomewhere filly Majorsspeciallady fit the bill by having previously won only two races – most of her money was earned at two, when she was second to Youaremycandygirl in the Breeders Crown and on the board in 10 of 11 starts.
2018 had been less kind to Majorsspecialaldy as she continued to battle top fillies, but the class drop here was just the tonic for her, winning for the first time in 364 days while taking a new mark of 1:52.1 before the rain came and the track was rated "fast." Kakaley and the winner got parked past the 3/8 for command in the pace for distaffs, but she still had enough to withstand That's Amazing by a head for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and J&T Silva Stables LLC.
Driver Tyler Buter, recently a late-night longshot special, had three $15+ winners in the first four races on the Tuesday card, including a 1:51 victory with Highland Beach Boy in the division of the featured class for male pacers.
The sophomore gelding gave sire Somebeachsomewhere a sweep of the pacing features, and he ended a 304-day winless drought by quarter-moving for Buter and holding off potential pocket rocket Spolieronthebeach by a half-length while taking a new mark for trainer Pat Lachance, co-owner with M & M Harness Racing LLC, Royal Flush Stables LLC, and Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc.
From the PHHA/Pocono Downs