WILKES-BARRE PA – Super Manning posted a mild harness racing upset ($16.80) in the $15,500 featured conditioned trot Saturday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, while Star Cover was a $51.20 shocker in the companion featured pace.
Super Manning, a gelded son of Diamond Goal trained by Matias Ruiz for Joe P Racing LLC, left a step belatedly from post eight in the nine-horse field but quickly got in gear and got a three-tuck before the 27.2 quarter. Driver Eric Carlson had plenty of horse in front of him and elected to pull out with Super Manning and grab the lead in front of the stands, passing the middle poles in 56.2 and 1:25.3.
The two favorites, Rock Of Cashel and A List Lindy, looked like closers on the form, and indeed they were trotting a three-wide storm on the far turn, but Super Manning still had a 28.4 last quarter in him and stayed clear, winning in 1:54.2 by two lengths over favored Rock Of Cashel, who photoed A List Lindy for the deuce. Super Manning now has career earnings of $530,649.
Driver Andrew McCarthy is not quite in the Marcus Miller category of bringing home surprise winners, but if he's not #2 in that fine art in eastern Pennsylvania he's awfully close, further proof being his upset victory in the top pacing event with Star Cover. Though a winner of two of his last three starts at Pocono, the altered son of Royal Mattjesty had tired on the lead in his last start at Yonkers, and tonight's class was higher than the ones he had conquered in the recent past; thus his longshot status.
Bur McCarthy was in the right place at the right time if first-over is ever the "right place," as he came raw on pacesetter Idealbeach Hanover, who had gone a monstrous 25.3 quarter, passed the half in 54.3, and then had to deal with the winner, who despite his name was racing without cover. McCarthy got him by the pacesetter at the 1:22¾ pole, then held off the horse on his back, Fan Of Terror, by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:50.2, with favored Sweet Rock, sitting in the pocket, was shuffled when the pacesetter tired, then rallied strongly for third. By then, though, Star Cover, trained by Brewer Adams for owner Joseph Trice, had things in hand, lighting up the board.
Earlier in the year at Pocono, McCarthy had an evening with two $50+ winners, and down the Turnpike at Philly he has had four such scores this season, tying him for the top there with Pat Berry and Tony Morgan. He is also the only driver to have two horses pay over $100 to win at Philly this year.
PHHA / Pocono