Nicole keeps her promise in Pocono feature

Nicole’s Promise, close in her last two starts in the Open Handicap Trot at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, beat the boys Tuesday night in a thriller. The 6-year-old Dream Vacation mare, driven by Tom Jackson and trained by John Marshall, won by a nose over a fast closing Chosen Voyageur (Andrew McCarthy) with the timer reading 1:54.

 

In her two previous starts against the boys, Nicole’s Promise had been a close second to Gift Kronos and third to Grain Of Truth.

 

Nicole’s Promise, 0-for-9 coming into the Tuesday night race, sat third for the opening split behind Four Starz Robro (Kevin Sizer) and Chosen Voyageur. Jackson and the winner took over the lead before the half and held off Chosen Voyageur at the wire with Man About Town (George Napolitano Jr.) finishing third in the race that carried a purse of $28,750.

 

GTs Graig, a 14-year-old pacing gelding, keeps rolling along like old man river. With Anthony Napolitano in the sulky, G Ts Graig won for the 10th time in 2009 for trainer Ron Burke. The graybeard went wire to wire from the one post in a race for $12,500 claiming pacers. Time of the mile was 1:54 and there were mulitiple claims on the 1-2 favorite in the race. (Pocono Downs)