WILKES-BARRE PA – Pappy's Pal ($14.80), continuing a rich recent vein of winning form that had eluded him most of the season, tipped wide into the stretch and was along to take the $20,000 harness racing featured pace at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Saturday night in 1:50.2.
Favored Parnu Hanover went right to the top in 27.1, then matched that number in a wind-aided second quarter to hit the half in 54.2. Super Imposed N started mounting a determined first-over bid into the backstretch and had reached the leader by the ¾ pole, clocked in 1:21.4, and grabbed a short advantage in early stretch.
Pappy's Pal had been reserved inside by driver Jim Marohn Jr. until the far turn, then swung to two-wide when the second-over couldn't stay with cover. Wider as they turned for home, the victorious Cam's Card Shark gelding methodically wore down the game Super Imposed N, then kept his lead over the deep Pocono Pike shooter Casimir Jitterbug, winning by ¾ of a length, with Super Imposed N another neck back in third.
Pappy's Pal has been a good earner throughout his career – he boosted his bankroll here to $314,103 – but had had trouble getting to the wire first, having only a 1 for 25 win record in 2017 before now winning three of his last four, including two in a row – he had set his mark of 1:50.1 at Philly last time out. Matias Ruiz trains the sharp pacer, and he co-owns him with James Mascola.
PHHA / Pocono