Pocono: Inexpressable staves off Diabolic Hill in Earl Beal Jr. Memorial

MGM Yonkers Trot winner Inexpresable picked up another Grade 2 victory by winning the $300,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for sophomore male trotters on Saturday evening at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania in 1:51 1/5.

Diabolic Hill (Todd McCarthy) pressed on two-wide to take the lead away from Strobe Lite (James MacDonald) beyond the 26 4/5 quarter, and then Inexpressable (Scott Zeron) moved from third to grab the front on the way to the half in 56 seconds.

Inexpressable successfully dealt with first-over pressure from Minoan (Andy McCarthy) to three-quarters in 1:23 2/5 and around the final bend as Diabolic Hill waited for a chance to attack. That opportunity came in the passing lane in the stretch, but as he's done all year, Diabolic Hill lacked the rally to get by as Inexpressable dug in and held him off by a neck. Magic Punk (Yannick Gingras) was up for third, followed by Minoan.

"During the race today, I'm happy I'm not the driver because I wasn't too happy with the drive, but he knew what he was doing," winning trainer Lucas Wallin said about the move that worked here after it didn't in a Hambletonian elimination. "He really fought all the way to the finish line. Scotty's so good to work with. He takes care of them and he knows what to do.

"He's beautiful and for a Walner I really like his attitude. He's a little stronger than quick, so he has big lungs and he's just a very nice horse to work with."

Wallin also co-owns Inexpressable via his Wallin Racing Stable Inc. and partners with Karin Walter-Mommert. Bred by Menhammar Stuteri Ab and S R F Stable, Inexpressable has a summary of 6-1-2 from 12 starts, has pocketed $408,270 and paid $10.40 to win.

The next major target for Inexpressable is the Kentucky Futurity at The Red Mile, according to Wallin.

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$200,000 Consolation I

Nix Nacken (Dexter Dunn) came first-out of third before the 55 4/5 half, wore down leader Requiem (Andy McCarthy) past the 1:23 three-quarters and went on to tally by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:51 1/5. Highland Destiny (Zeron) angled out of the pocket in the lane and wound up second and Hamlet Hall (Dave Palone) came up the passing lane to get third.

Trained by Marcus Melander, Nix Nacken is owned by Courant Inc. Bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Eddie Gran, Nix Nacken has five wins from 22 career appearances, has banked $369,243 and paid $4.20 to win as the favorite.

$100,000 Consolation II

Highball Hanover (A. McCarthy) got away in sixth but tipped off the pylons prior to the 55 3/5 half-mile marker and was able to slide down into the pocket after the 1:23 1/5 three-quarters. McCarthy then angled Highball Hanover back to the outside to get around leader Southwind Fargo (Gingras) when he broke on the final bend, and from there, Highball Hanover went on to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:52 3/5. Create Escape (Dunn) was second and Rubens (Dan Daley) was moved up from fourth to third after the judges determined that Southwind Fargo had violated the breaking rules and was demoted to fourth.

A Bar Hopping gelding bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., Highball Hanover was sent out by Noel Daley for owners Sjoblom Racing & M. Dolan, Joe Sbrocco & Jaf Racing, Caviart Farms and P C Wellwood Enterprises Inc. Highball Hanover is a five-time winner from 21 tries, has put away $193,232 and returned $79.40 to win as a 38-1 shot.