WILKES-BARRE, PA —My Old Friend John, piloted and trained by Tom Jackson, turned in the fastest time on the Monday night card at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
The five-year-old stallion edged Bugatti Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) at the line with the timer stopped in 1:51.1. Time also was a new life mark for My Old Friend John.
Jackson collected another win on the evening with Make It Hot in the ninth race. He trains this winner.
Lotta Lightning, coming off four straight second-place finishes at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack, won a $20,000 claiming pace with McCarthy in the bike. Time of this mile was 1:53.3.
McCarthy swept the early Daily Double, winning with Old Trafford in the opener for trainer Randy Bendis and with Lotta Lightning, conditioned by Steve Salerno, in the second race of the 16-race card.
In the fifth race, McCarthy won with Dreamzzzz R For U for trainer Joe Holloway. It was the two-year-old Western Hanover’s second life start. Time of the mile was 1:56.4.