Pocono: Buter just misses going three-for-three in Simpson divisions

Tyler Buter, going for his second straight driving crown at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, won two of three $30,000 divisions of the Super Bowl, a John Simpson Sr. Stake for 2-year-old trotting males held Tuesday at the mountain oval Tuesday afternoon - and he came as close as you can in harness racing to pulling off the sweep.

Having already won Simpson sections with Green To Go and Hook N Reel, Buter tried for the three-bagger with 6-5 second choice Strapped. Favored Red Andray took the field to the first striped pole, and then Buter brushed Strapped to the lead during quarter two. Chalooch came first-over from mid-backstretch and battled steadily with the leader around the far turn, with Red Andray waiting in the two-hole.

Chalooch and Strapped continued their fight into the lane, where the even-money chalk got clearance in the Pocono Pike, and that one looked to be trotting right to the lead when he made a break mid-stretch and went to the centerfield. Given another shot to complete Buter's stakes triple, Strapped was urged on and dug in, but Chalooch proved to have the most by the smallest of photo margins, with Kountry Infusion closing well to miss it all by a head.

The 1:56 1/5 victory was the first win for Chalooch, a Tactical Landing-Bingo Queen colt who was driven by Anthony Napolitano for trainer Alexander Wieder Jr. and Crestwood Farm LLC.

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Buter opened the stakes action with Green To Go, an altered son of Greenshoe-Donna Hill, who took advantage of a pocket journey behind Capt Osborne, then out-footed that rival by a half-length in a 1:58 1/5 mile; first-over Wyoming was also in the late hunt but lost his gait trying for more power. Green To Go, a Stallion Series and Keystone Classic winner and the public choice, added the Simpson to his resume for trainer-owner D.R. Ackerman.

Hook N Reel, a Captain Corey-Flos Conch Shack gelding, took the point in the second stanza, then came home in 57 4/5 - 28 2/5 - and needed to, as Whatachapter SS S closed in 28 seconds himself in coming up shy by three-quarters of a length in the 1:57 1/5 mile. A double Stallion Series winner, Hook N Reel is trained by Ake Svanstedt, whose Ake Svanstedt Inc. shares ownership with Brochart Stable Inc. and S R F Stable.

Buter had four sulky successes in all, including one for the meet's leading trainer Ron Burke. The Napolitano brothers continued their winning ways, with Anthony winning twice to complete a 10-win three-day week, and George Jr. piloting three (including the Early Double for the day's only doubling conditioner Marc Mosher) to bring his total to nine for the week.

Racing resumes at Pocono on Saturday at 1 p.m. (EDT), with $217,000 of prizes on the line in Simpson Stakes action, split between the Ayres for sophomore trotting males and the Razzle Hanover for 2-year-old female pacers. There will also be a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--