WILKES-BARRE PA – The American Ideal harness racing mare Sally Fletcher A, who had had several close finishes without victory over half-mile tracks recently, refound her winning ways upon coming to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, winning the $14,000 distaff pacing feature in 1:53 on the Tuesday twilight card.
Driver Anthony Napolitano opted on finding late luck with the even-money favorite as he kept her third along the inside most of the way. Opportunity came knocking when the second-over horse gapped on the turn, with Sally Fletcher A answering the summons by swinging out and then wider turning for home. Despite bearing out even further in the lane, the Down Under mare had sufficient rally to catch the potential Pocono Pike pocket rocket Bye Bye Michelle by a length while raising her bankroll to $340,247 for trainer Jose Godinez and the Blindswitch Racing Stable.
Among the many horses on the Tuesday card prepping for the upcoming Weiss Series, the Sportswriter sophomore miss Girl's Got Rhythm was perhaps the most impressive, setting a North American season's record of 1:53 in her career debut. Hot-driving Tyler Buter settled the John Cummins-owned filly in the two hole behind a strong pacesetter (and fellow Weiss eligible) As Time Goes By, then came on in the lane to wear down the pacesetter by ¾ of a length on the money, reflecting some of her pedigree – her third dam was the dam of the fabled Jenna's Beach Boy.
Trixar certainly also had breeding in his corner – an altered sophomore son of Trixton out of the $400G+-winning Spice Queen – but it took him until his 14th career start to put it all together, proving most photogenic in a bang-bang-bang finish over fellow Weiss eligibles Oceanato Hanover and Massive Vodka in 2:00, despite being out every step of the trotting mile. The betting public had lost hope on the fashionably-bred three-year-old, co-owned by trainer/driver Bill "Moon" Mullin along with Howard Taylor, as he lit up the tote board with a $166.80 win payoff.
PHHA / Pocono
Jerry Connors