WILKES-BARRE PA – The A Rocknroll Dance four-year-old mare Reclamation, who started her harness racing career in Great Britain and broke her maiden in a race for a purse of U.S. $706, posted her fifth straight victory in the $17,500 distaff pacing feature at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on the Tuesday twilight card, showing large reserves of fortitude to down an ultra-game Juslikeaqueen by a nose in a career best of 1:50.
Culinary Delight N forced Keystone Riptide in behind her going to the :26.2 quarter; Juslikeaqueen attempted a quarter move from third, but the pacesetter gave her the cold shoulder through hot middle fractions of :54.1 and 1:21.3. Reclamation had tucked fourth and then followed Juslikeaqueen outside, so she was getting a good cover trip.
Around the far turn, Juslikeaqueen not only didn't back up, she actually forged to the lead, with Reclamation swinging wide to go after her. It literally took driver Matt Kakaley the length of the stretch to get Reclamation past Juslikeaqueen, but the young mare did so, notching her fifth win in six seasonal starts and her twelfth triumph in twenty lifetime races. Ron Burke handles the training of the winner for W J Donovan and Baltimore, Ireland's Donal Murphy.
A final word about Juslikeaqueen – she went that gigantic mile having raced only once in the past 28 days. She'll certainly be tight for her next start – which will come this Sunday, when she will line up between Applebottom Jeans and Tequila Monday in a Great Northeast Open Series contest.
Driver Matt Kakaley also accounted for the $14,000 co-featured distaff pace among his four wins on the night. In this subfeature Matt had to go first-over to wear down favored Brazuca with the Always A Virgin mare Neverforgetwhour, then hold off potential pocket rocket Intoview by ¾ of a length in 1:52.3. Team Lorentzon is in charge of the winner of $208,900, with Anette Lorentzon also the owner.
Two claims for a total of $42,000 on the Tuesday card boosted the total number of relocations for the racing week to a 2019 record of 22; the $458,375 changing hands posted another seasonal high. For the year, there have been 197 claims at Pocono, producing a money turnover of $3,622,125.
PHHA / Pocono
Jerry Connors