On Saturday night, the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono honored its 2019 Pacer of the Year and Claimer of the Year, who happened to be one and the same horse – the Western Terror 10-year-old gelding Atta Boy Dan.
So far this year at Pocono, Atta Boy Dan has posted a record of 22-13-2-3, with earnings of $151,575. He was all but invincible in the top claiming ranks through most of the summer, taking ten of eleven starts, and he was claimed out of fourteen straight races, an unofficial local record. Peter Pellegrino, training the horse for owner Stephen Larkin as the last of the long line claiming Atta Boy Dan, was among those in the Pocono winners circle for the ceremonies. Atta Boy Dan is the first horse in recent memory to be a double honor winner for a season.
Over the next two weeks, the Trotter of the Year and Mare of the Year will be honored, as well as those achieving the honors in training and driving for the 2019 season.