The chestnut Love You sophomore gelding Beaujolais Breeze made a striking pari-mutuel debut on Monday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, as the Love You gelding came up on the grind while going his back-half in 56 3/5 to win his $20,000 division of the Bobby Weiss Series’s first preliminary for 3-year-old trotting males in 1:55 2/5.
Favored Te Quiero Lindy had made the lead by the 28 3/5 quarter, moderated the half to 58 seconds, then went on with the wind to reach the three-quarters in 1:26 3/5. Tyler Buter had initially stayed in with Beaujolais Breeze, but when the two-wide tier made little headway, he sent his charge out to the uncovered position later on the backstretch and gained steadily, finally edging out the favorite by a half-length for trainer Nifty Norman and the partnership of Tom Vassiliou, Deo Volente Farms LLC., Thomas Pontone, and Enzed Racing Stable Inc.
The other two Weiss divisions were won by George Napolitano Jr.-driven geldings, neither the betting favorite, but both nonetheless taking a new mark of 1:57 1/5; one shares the trainer of Beaujolais Breeze, and the other shares his sire.
The second winning Weiss pupil of Nifty Norman was Pantofolaio (Italian for "couch potato"), a Bar Hopping gelding who was nothing like his name in grinding to the lead late on the far turn and then resisting Blue Patrol by a neck for Dean Lockhart, Wayne Carleton, and Jeffery Ruch. The second son of Love You to visit Pocono's Victory Lane was Luvutothemoonanbak, who persevered gamely on the lead to defeat Big Shot by the slightest of margins for trainer Blake MacIntosh and Clancy Farms.
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The Sweet Lou mare Louisville GB continued her winning form in a $17,000 distaff pace, blitzing home after a good cover trip for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Robert Cleary, and owner Kenneth Jacobs in 1:51 3/5, just a tick off her mark taken at the Meadowlands. The ultra-sharp mare has won four straight, five of six in 2025, seven of eight Stateside, and ten of her last 13 starts, including her farewell races on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Chapolier has started off the Pocono meet with six straight victories, but Tuesday's was his closest contest yet, with the Chapter Seven gelding warding off the closing Wallet by a neck in 1:55 2/5 in a $16,000 trot contest. Chapolier has been racing on or near the lead, but when George Napolitano Jr. looked over early and saw many opponents looking for a similar journey, he backed his horse off, and the winner of $312,074 came uncovered from seventh in notching the win. Trainer Dean Eckley, also co-owner with William Hartt, retained Chapolier for another start after the horse had been claimed four straight times.
Napolitano Jr. had five driving wins on the card and Buter two, which leaves them at a deadlock at 44 victories at the top of the drivers charts.
Pocono closes its racing week Tuesday with a 1 p.m. card. It will feature a $17,500 Championship in the Game Of Claims Pacing Series; bettors may well be attracted to a $5,367.21 double carryover addition to the fifth race Pick 5 pool.
--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--