Pocono: More The Better N rallies by foes in Great Northeast Open Series round

The recent New Zealand import More The Better N was placed just off a wicked middle-half speed duel, then tipped wide into the lane and ran down the game pace-setter Highalator by a neck in a $30,000 Great Northeast Open Series (GNOS) event for fast-class pacers Saturday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, stopping the timer in 1:49.

Highalator was away quickly and put series point leader Rodeo Romeo in the pocket behind him; not much past after a pedestrian (for these) 27 1/5 opening quarter, Split The House and driver Tyler Buter, sitting third and not relishing having to go first-over, made a quick move trying to get the lead. But Highalator and driver Eric Carlson were having none of that, and they fought in breakneck fashion from the three-eighths onward, neither giving much in a 53 3/5 middle-half.

Driver Corey Callahan got to second-over position behind the parked Split The House down the backstretch with the eventually-victorious son of Bettor’s Delight, then tipped wide for the stretch drive. For a few steps it looked like the game Highalator might prevail against the wall of horses in contention behind him, but More The Better N found the best late pace to gain the photo victory, with Split The House, second to the winner’s countryman Lazarus N at Hoosier last week, also holding gamely to be just another half-length back in third.

More The Better N now has a 4-2-1-1-$41,100 U.S. slate, with this 1:49 his fastest on this soil for trainer Ross Croghan and the Robert Cooper Stables LLC. The victory also moved More The Better N up to seventh in the GNOS pointstandings, with next week being the final scheduled preliminary before the $100,000 GNOS divisional champions on Sunday, September 2 at Pocono, at a distance of 1 1/4 miles.

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--