Grain Of Truth and Rompaway Alvin win at Pocono

It was Grain Of Truth and Ray Schnittker winning the $28,000 open 1 handicap trot Tuesday (April 6) at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

Schnittker sat second or third for three-quarters of the race while Vivid Photo (Yannick Gingras) took the field to the opening quarter in 27.4, half in 58.1 and three quarters in 1:26.2 before getting nosed out by Grain Of Truth, who charged up the Pocono Pike (passing lane) to win in a thriller.Mike Simons and A Gentleman finished third in the race.

Grain Of Truth, trained by Schnittker, went off at 40-1 and returned $83.00, $20.40 and %5.80 across the board. Vivid Photo was the 1-5 favorite in the featured trot of the week. Time of the mile was 1:54.2, just a fifth off the lifetime mark for the nine-year-old Self Possessed gelding who was winning for the first time in 2010 on the fourth start of the season.

Meanwhile, the open II trot was won by No. 7 Rompaway Alvin, driven by David Miller. In only the second start back after a several month layoff, Rompaway Alvin grabbed the lead after the opening quarter, taking the nine-horse field to the half in 56.1 and three quarters in 1:25 followed by Four Star Robro (Joe Pavia Jr.) and Iliketherain (Gingras).

First quarter leader was Four Starz Robro with the timer reading 28 seconds with Rompaway Alvin sitting third.

This mile went in 1:54.1 over a lightning fast racing surface. Four Starz Robro was second in this race with Khifra Hanover (Kevin Sizer) third. Peter Kleinhans trains Rompaway Alvin.(Pocono)