Pocono: Fast miles occur throughout Saturday's card

The two favorites, Elver Hanover and Hickfromfrenchlick, fought for most of the stretch charge in the $19,300 featured pace Saturday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but it was the Bettor's Delight gelding Jack's Legend N who swung wide off cover and beat the chalk to the line in 1:50 4/5.

Hickfromfrenchlick was pushed by Elver Hanover to a 26 2/5 first quarter to gain command, but then got to rate the half to 55 4/5. The leader stepped up the tempo as Highalator grinded up to challenge, with the three-quarters passed in 1:23 2/5. For much of the stretch, it looked like the pace-setter and the pocket-sitter would decide the issue, but Jack's Legend N, relatively unused, angled to the far outside from third-over and roared home to beat out Elver Hanover, in the Pocono Pike, by a neck, with Hickfromfrenchlick just another nose back in third.

The New Zealand import has now won three straight, and today's victory boosted his lifetime earnings to $509,226. Jason Bartlett drove the winner for trainer Josh Green, who is co-owner with Rich Lombardo Racing LLC, David Kryway, and Eric Good.

The fastest mile of the day was turned in by Curious Cortez, claimed last week by owner Melvin Fink and trainer Marta Piotrow. He paid immediate dividends while lowering his mark by 3 1/5 seconds with a 1:49 1/5 victory. The Big Jim gelding hung pressing foe Bell I No through burning splits of 26 1/5, 53 3/5, and 1:21 1/5, then finished out in 28 seconds for driver Anthony Napolitano while looking unfazed by his strenuous early efforts.

The American Ideal sophomore colt American Courage ran his lifetime record to nine-for-ten and lowered his mark to 1:49 4/5 in an effortless victory under the guidance of Matt Kakaley. Fractions of 27, 55 2/5, and 1:22 4/5 preceded a 27 second final quarter for the winner of $198,633, who is trained by Travis Alexander and owned by Fiddler's Creek Stables LLC.

EL Ideal, a son of Muscle Hill who was a top stakes colt at two and three, was glad for the class relief from his recent foes in the Graduate Series and proceeded to trot the fastest mile of the local season, 1:52 1/5, upon coming to Pocono. George Napolitano Jr. wouldn't let anybody get by him from the rail, with fractions of 27 1/5, 55 4/5, and 1:23 4/5 rung up along the way to EL Ideal getting his first win of the year and also taking a new mark. The Ake Svanstedt trainee has career earnings of $830,857 for EMP-Invest Oy.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--