Wilkes-Barre, PA — The front end was a good place to race Saturday (March 15) afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania despite it being a cool and windy day; that observation is perhaps best demonstrated by 11-1 shot Striking Impact, who won the $35,000 Championship of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series for horses starting out with a $25,000 tag.
Anthony Napolitano sent the Always B Miki gelding straight to engine command and yielded to no one in fractions of :27.3, :56.3, and 1:23.4 despite no fewer than four separate bids from horses challenging to claim the top spot in various points. Striking Impact had the lead turning for home, shook off first-over Real Surreal (Tyler Buter), then withstood a late charge from two-holer Belmont Major N (Matt Kakaley), who came clear between horses, by a half-length. Favored Lyons Surfing (George Napolitano Jr.), winner in all three Game of Claims prelims while beating :28 home each week, got a second-over trip but did not have as sharp a late kick this race, finishing another neck back in third.
Striking Impact makes his lead stand up to take his $35,000 Championship in the Game Of Claims Pacing Series Saturday at Pocono. Curtis Salonick Photo.
Striking Impact was claimed in the middle prelim of the series by trainer Marta Piotrow and owner Debbie Avery. He won his final prelim, then held his form nicely to triumph in the Championship. (And there is no claiming from the final, so Striking Impact will have the chance to add to the $26,000 he has already collected for his new connections.)
In the $25,000 fast-class pace, the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Spring Inhis Step A (Buter) again got a pocket trip behind Chase H Hanover (Anthony Napolitano…