Pocono: Favorites foiled in Great Northeast Open Series finals

Bettor's Up (mare pace), Rich And Miserable (trot), and None Bettor (open pace) knocked off the public choice in winning their respective $100,000 Great Northeast Open Series finals on Monday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. All three events were conducted at the distance of a mile and a quarter.

The mare pacers kicked things off, and Apple Bottom Jeans (Corey Callahan) led early, but she would be overtaken by Eclipse Me (Simon Allard) going to the 27 3/5 opening quarter. Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy), the 1-5 choice, then brushed from fourth to first, clearing as they passed the 56 second half-mile marker.

Caviart Ally stayed in front to the 1:25 three-quarters and 1:53 mile, with a first-over Write Me A Song (Yannick Gingras) just offering a mild first-over bid. Bettor's Up (Tim Tetrick) watched all the action from fifth, slipped out second-over past the mile mark, and then went three-wide on the last turn.

In the lane Caviart Ally started to get asked by McCarthy, but was still in control until late in the going when Bettor's Up flashed by on the far outside, getting up for the win by a head in 2:21. Caviart Ally had to settle for second, with Apple Bottom Jeans third.

"The distance seemed to help her tonight. I just told Timmy 'you don't need Shartin to win these things," said winning owner/trainer Nick Surick. "We'll drop in tomorrow for the Milton eliminations up in Canada. Hopefully there's no eliminations so she doesn't have to race back on short rest, and we can just go to the final next week, but if we have to race in Canada on Friday, we will."

A 5-year-old Bettor's Delight mare, Bettor's Up picked up her 20th career win, and she has now earned $892,374. Sent off at 14-1, she paid $30.80 to win.

In the open trot 3-5 favorite Hannelore Hanover (Yannick Gingras) pressed on to get by Rich And Miserable (Tyler Buter) past a 29 2/5 first quarter. Hannelore Hanover then got away with tepid internal fractions of 58 3/5, 1:28 2/5, and 1:56 4/5 without facing heavy pressure from a first-up and grinding Tight Lines (Jeff Gregory), but in the stretch Rich And Miserable surged up the passing lane and out-kicked Hannelore Hanover to prevail by a head in 2:24 3/5. Fiftydallarbill (Corey Callahan) angled out in the lane after riding in the three-hole, but could only finish evenly and wound up third.

Rich And Miserable, a 4-year-old Explosive Matter gelding, is trained by Todd Buter for owners Buter Farm Inc., Lynette Buter, William Fuhs, and Carol Fuhs. Rich And Miserable is now a 14-time winner, and he has pocketed $345,297. Dispatched at 9-2, he returned $11.00 to win.

Australian import None Bettor (George Napolitano Jr.), the winner of the Battle of Lake Erie earlier this season, put up panels of 28, 57 3/5, 1:25 3/5, and 1:52 3/5 in the open pace. 1-2 favorite Backstreet Shadow (Tetrick) followed in the pocket and tipped out in the lane to take his shot, but None Bettor was resolute, staying in front and winning by half a length in 2:20 1/5. Prairie Panther (Tyler Buter) finished well after having to go three-wide from third-over in the backstretch and wound up in the show spot.

"George did a good job rating it, and it looked like Backstreet Shadow got a little doubled up," offered None Bettor's trainer Andrew Harris. "It's a little cool tonight, so these miles aren't going to be as fast as what people are used to, and with the mile and a quarter racing nobody is going to gas out of there. You've got to expect slower miles.

"We're going to go to Harrington for the Quillen next Monday."

The victorious 6-year-old gelded son of Bettor's Delight is owned by Joe P Racing LLC. and Oldford Racing LLC. None Bettor made his 27th appearance in the winner's circle, and he has now put away $385,945. He was the 5-2 second choice and paid $7.20 to win.