Aug 15, 2014 | Racing
August 8-14, 2014
It’s always difficult to pick the best horses in a particular week at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs due to the extreme competitiveness of the harness racing action. This week has proved more of a pickle than most because there are a lot of horses on hot streaks who deserve consideration. On Saturday night, for example, six of the thirteen winners picked up at least their second win in a row. I’m not sure if there’s a specific reason for this glut of winning streaks, but I am sure that this is a fine edition of the Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: SANDBETWEENURTOES
In Saturday night’s Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for three-year-old pacing fillies, all eyes were on this powerhouse from the barn of trainer Larry Remmen. It’s been an incredible sophomore season for this filly, especially considering she raced just once as a 2-year-old and finished out of the money. Instead of taking time to get her racing feet wet, she’s come out of the box with seven wins in seven races this year, including a couple Sire Stakes wins and a victory in the $212,500 Mistletoe Shalee at The Meadowlands.
While the field on Saturday was solid, many were fillies who had already come up short behind Sandbetweenurtoes in races this season. Included among those was Allstar Rating, who finished behind the unbeaten filly three times this year. But in her last start, Allstar Rating dominated in the Adioo Volo at The Meadows, giving her the confidence that things might be different this time around when she faced her arch rival.
Sure enough, Allstar Rating made the lead while Sandbetweenurtoes fell much further behind the pace than is her custom. Once she started making her move for her regular driver Brett Miller though, there was no chance of stopping her. She hustled past Allstar Rating to win by a half-length in 1:50, making her eight-for-eight and also solidifying her status as the dominant force in the age group.
Honorable mention on the pacing side goes to: Gold Deuce (George Napolitano Jr., Lou Pena), who continues to dominate the lower claiming ranks, winning his fourth straight on Sunday night in 1:52; Speed Again (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke), who burned up the track in a condition win on Saturday in 1:48:2, fastest time of the week at Pocono; and Crimson Cruiser (Jim Morrill Jr., Douglas Hamilton), who overcame an outside post on Friday night and picked up a claiming win in 1:52:1, his third victory in a row.
TROTTER AND LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: WESTERN CREDIT
It’s rare that our categories overlap and one horse can claim two Weekly Awards in one shot. Yet Western Credit’s recent run has been as unlikely as it has been impressive, more than meriting the embarrassment of riches. This gelding came into his race on August 3 without a win in 21 races in 2014, yet trainer Eric Mollor, who also did the driving that night, had the six-year-old rolling late for an upset win in 1:55:4 at 14-1.
On Tuesday night, Western Credit was at it again, this time with Brett Miller in the bike and stepping up the condition ladder to face the non-winners of $10,000 in the last five races. The fans gave him even less of a chance this time around, putting him at 37-1. Miller sent him first-over early in the mile, which seemed like a tough journey for any horse, let along one with such long odds.
It turned out to be strategic brilliance on Miller’s part, since the sloppy track that night seemed to favor on trip on the outside. Western Credit did the rest, working hard to pick off everyone in front of him before holding off JC’s Jake in the lane to win it in 1:55:1. At those towering odds of 37-1, the gelding paid off $77.80 on a $2 win ticket. Suddenly, that 0-for-21 to start the year is a distant memory. Western Credit is two for his last two and ready to take on all comers.
Other top trotters this week include: Whata Donato (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke), a mare whose winning time in a condition on Tuesday night of 1:53:3 was the fastest trot of the week at Pocono despite sloppy conditions; Well Built (Tim Tetrick, Chris Ryder), a 3-year-old who knocked off mostly older horses in a condition victory on Tuesday night in a career-best 1:54:1 in the slop; and Gematria (Tom Jackson, Fred Grant), who picked up her second consecutive win, this one in Stallion Series action on Wednesday night in 1:58:3.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: DAVID MILLER
Miller always steps up his game for stakes or series action and Tuesday night he was at his best, winning three times, including a pair of victories in the Stallion Series.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: MARK FORD
Ford always seems to manage great efficiency with however many horses he enters at Pocono, as he showed on Friday night by picking up a pair of training victories.
Aug 15, 2014 | Racing
August 12, 2014
Nine divisions of the Stallion Series featuring two-year-old trotting fillies were held on Tuesday at night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Each division carried a purse of $20,000.
The Stallion Series winners on a sloppy night at Pocono were: Seduce A Stranger (Muscle Massive-Khifra Hanover), driven by Ron Pierce and trained by Chris Beaver, in 1:59:3; Gematria (Explosive Matter-Ginevre), driven by Tom Jackson and trained by Fred Grant, in 1:58:3; Fly Angel Fly (Cantab Hall-Dream Angel), driven and trained by Jimmy Takter, in 2:01; Kimco Hall (Andover Hall-Kimco Lady), driven by David Miller and trained by Nifty Norman, in 2:01:1; Flirting Filly (Broadway-Flirtin My Way), driven and trained by Jimmy Takter, in 1:59; Lady Clarabella (Lear Jetta-Jet By), driven by David Miller and trained by Randy Beeckman, in 1:57:3; I’m Yelling Timber (Explosive Matter-Velma K), driven by Tyler Buter and trained by Brandon Simpson, in 1:59:3; Alpha Alpha (Encore Encore-Pegasus On Ice), driven by Tim Tetrick and trained by Rich Gillock, in 2:00:1; and Product Placement (Andover Hall-Con Dolcezza), driven by Tom Jackson and trained by Fred Grant, in 1:58:4.
Aug 15, 2014 | Racing
Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs is planning a momentous Sire Stakes Championship Night for Saturday, September 6th, with over $1 million in purses, and an Open Trot and an Open Pace to sweeten the night.
The $50,000 Modern Family Open Trot will be held in honor of the late trotter, who passed away on July 20th following the Maple Leaf Trot. Modern Family,a 5-year-old son of Cantab Hall, was trained and co-owned by Daryl Bier, in partnership with Charles Dombeck and Richard Poilucci. A 19-time winner in 51 career starts, Modern Family had career earnings of more than $550,000. The connections of the trotter have been invited to take part in the Winner’s Circle presentation following the race.
Also planned for the evening’s card will be a $50,000 Open for the top pacers in harness racing, and anyone interested in entering the Pace or the Trot should contact the Race Office at 570-831-2228.
PA Sire Stakes Championship Night will feature the best of the Freshmen PA bred trotting and pacing stars competing in $260,000 finals. Consolation races will also be held.
Post Time is 6:30pm, and the day will kick off with a Signings and Sightings meet and greet with Hall of Famer and former New York Giants Linebacker Lawrence Taylor from 4:00pm to 5:30pm on the Sky Bridge, conncecting the casino and the racetrack. Those wishing to meet the football legend should obtain a wristband to secure their spot in line, starting at 1:00pm. Only authorized photos will be signed, and they will be issued at the signing.
Aug 11, 2014 | Racing
August 6, 2014
40-1 long shot Rumor Mill pulled off a stunning upset to highlight Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action on Wednesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. There were three Sire Stakes divisions held with purses ranging from $75,320 to $75,720 for 2-year-old pacing fillies.
Rumor Mill (The Panderosa-Chippie Gabby), trained by Jim King Jr., hadn’t finished higher than fourth in her previous three starts coming into Wednesday night, but Tim Tetrick guided her from last early to rally in the stretch for the win by a length in 1:53:1. Macarena Mama finished second and Safe From Terror picked up the show.
Form held in the remaining two Sire Stakes divisions, as a pair of favorites driven by Yannick Gingras delivered. Southwind Roulette (Somebeachsomewhere-Southwind Rio), trained by Ron Burke, won a hard-fought split in 1:51 for her second straight Sire Stakes victory. Aria Hanover (Well Said-Allamerican Cognac), trained by Jimmy Takter, battled to her third straight Sire Stakes victory with a winning time of 1:53:3 in her division.
Aug 11, 2014 | Racing
August 1-7, 2014
At this point in the season, it’s typical for 3-year-old horses at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs to be battling against others of their own age in Stallion Series or Sire Stakes action. Yet our two top performers of the week that was at Pocono dared to take on older horses. Not only did they survive, but they thrived. Here are the details of both their exploits and those of the other top performers as we hand out the Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: LUCK BE WITHYOU
This 3-year-old colt from the Chris Oakes’ barn started the season in Canada but quickly found a home at Pocono with a condition win on June 28 in 1:50:1. He then battled his way to a 7th in finals of the prestigious Meadowlands Pace before returning for an even more impressive victory in a blistering 1:48 on July 19.
On Saturday night, Luck Be Withyou faced his sternest test yet by going up against the non-winners of $22,500 in the last five races grouping. Among the competitors he would have to face were Meirs Hanover and Bolt The Duer, a pair of veterans as talented and as tested as there are in the sport. If the relative inexperience of Luck Be Withyou was ever going to be a factor, this was the race.
At the top of the stretch, the 3-year-old was staring at the tail of Bolt The Duer, who had set the pace and done so in reasonable fractions. Yet Luck Be With You was ready for the challenge when driver George Napolitano Jr. asked for another gear. He sped by a stunned Bolt The Duer and held off fast-closing E Street Plan for the win in 1:49:2. Even though the time wasn’t as flashy as his previous win, this victory was the best evidence yet of this sophomore’s incredible talent.
Other top pacers this week include: Show Runner (George Napolitano Jr., Lou Pena), a mare whose victory in Friday night’s featured condition pace in a career-best 1:50:3 was her second straight win; Gold Deuce (George Napolitano Jr., Lou Pena), who powered to a win over $10,000 claimers on Saturday night in 1:50:4, a career-best and his third straight win; and Mach It So (Andrew McCarthy, PJ Fraley), who picked up a win in Saturday night’s featured Preferred Handicap pace in 1:48:2, a new career-best and the fastest time posted this week at MSPD.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: REVRAC HARBOUR
This award was probably a little overdue for this 3-year-old colt from the barn of trainer Tony Alagna. From June 3 to July 1, he ripped off four consecutive wins at Pocono, topping out with a back-to-back career-best miles of 1:54:1 in wins over the non-winners of four condition. He traveled to the Meadowlands after that and struggled against some of the top trotters in the country in a pair of stakes races.
Revrac Harbour returned on Tuesday night to face all older horses in a non-winners of $13,000 in the last five starts condition trot. Back at Pocono again, he found his stride quickly by making a move to the front end early in the race. Yet Picture This, the race favorite, lurked behind him in the pocket for much of the mile and enjoyed a much better trip.
In the stretch, Picture This took to the inside passing lane and briefly seemed like he was about to get past. That’s when driver Scott Zeron coaxed just a little extra effort from an already-taxed Revrac Harbour, who dug in and surged back in front in the final strides in 1:55:4 on a sloppy track. That makes it five wins in the last five races he’s started at Pocono, with this maybe the gutsiest yet.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: Zooming (Tyler Buter, Amber Buter),who shipped in from New York for a condition win on Saturday in 1:51:4, easily the week’s fastest trotting time; Waldorf Hall (Corey Callahan, Jim Raymer), who churned through the slop for a condition win on Tuesday in 1:53:4; and Swiss Lightning (Anthony Napolitano, Kevin Lare), who ripped off his fourth straight claiming victory on Wednesday night in 1:54:4, matching his career-best in the process.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: RESCUE PLAN
It’s not often George Napolitano Jr., the meet’s leading driver, pilots a long shot, but this condition pacer was at 42-1 when G-Nap steered him to victory on Tuesday night for a $87.60 win payout on a $2 ticket.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: GEORGE NAPOLITANO JR.
Who else could it be this other than George Nap, considering that he won seven of the thirteen races on the card on Saturday and nearly pulled off a 20-win week.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: CHRISTIE COLLINS
Collins’ barn has been steadily gaining momentum in the summer months, and her trainees picked up three more wins this week, including a double on Friday.
That will do it for it this week, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
Aug 11, 2014 | Racing
August 5, 2014
Angel Of Terror posted the fastest winning time among the winners in Stallion Series action on Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. There were six $20,000 divisions of the Stallion Series held for 2-year-old pacing fillies.
Angel Of Terror (Western Terror-Angel Falls), driven by Jason Brewer and trained by Brian Brown, won her split in 1:54:2. Other Stallion Series winners on the night: Icapella Hanover (Somebeachsomewhere-I’m Sassy), driven and trained by Joe Pavia Jr., in 1:55:2; Angel Plus (Quik Pulse Mindale-Crew Angel), driven by Scott Zeron and trained by Steve Cook, in 1:55:3; Terror Ain’t A Fool (Western Terror-Aint A Fool OK), driven by Corey Callahan and trained by Douglas Lewis, in 1:55:2; Serious Filly (Somebeachsomewhere-Seriously), driven by Tim Tetrick and trained by Brian Brown, in 1:55:3; and Hillary’s Style (Somebeachsomewhere-Style), driven by David Miller and trained by Danny Collins, in 1:54:2.
Aug 5, 2014 | Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Special Events
Beer, live entertainment, wiener dog racing and more!
WHAT:
Pennsylvania’s largest and most popular Oktoberfest, the PA Oktoberfest, kicks off on Friday, September 12th for three days of food, entertainment and of course, beer! The event is sponsored by Times-Shamrock Communications and takes place on the racetrack apron at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
WHEN/WHERE:
Friday, September 12th: 5:00pm – 11:00pm
Saturday, September 13th: 11:00am – 11:00pm
Sunday, September 14th: 11:00am – 5:00pm
On the racetrack apron at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
IN DETAIL:
PA Oktoberfest, the largest Oktoberfest in Pennsylvania and one of the top 10 Oktoberfest celebrations in the nation, returns to Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs with more than 50 beers, award-winning traditional entertainers, local bands, authentic German-American cuisine, wiener dog racing, a strong arm contest and more. This year’s festival is anything but pint sized, with three days’ worth of new activities featured alongside Oktoberfest staples.
Among the numerous live entertainment acts performing at this year’s PA Oktoberfest will be our annual crowd favorite, Romy – from Munich Germany. Also performing at this year’s festival will be the Alpine Horns, known for playing the traditional Alphorn.
Tickets for PA Oktoberfest go on sale Friday, August 1st at the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Box Office and at 27 Shur Save locations throughout Northeast, PA.
Guests Must Be 21 Years Old To Enter This Event.
Keep the party going with an Oktoberfest hotel package that includes two (2) single-day admissions to Oktoberfest, $20 in Oktobucks, and an overnight stay in one of the plush rooms at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Book this Oktoberfest package on the reservation website starting on August 5th.
For more information, including a schedule of activities and information on purchasing tickets for Oktoberfest, please visit paoktoberfest.com.
Aug 5, 2014 | Entertainment, Hot Summer Fun
Celebrations include fireworks, Volvo giveaway, live music and more!
WILKES-BARRE, PA – Although summer is soon coming to an end, it will go out with a bang! Join Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Labor Day weekend as they celebrate with fireworks, live music, a car giveaway and more!
On Sunday, August 31st, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs will be awarding their Grand Prize winner from August’s Luxury Volvo Giveaway. One lucky guest will be chosen to drive away in a brand new Volvo XC60 AWD. Winner will be drawn at 6:00pm and must be present to win.
The fun continues as David Foster and the Mohegan Sun All-Stars take the stage in the Keystone Grand Ballroom for a FREE performance at 7:30pm. Doors will open at 6:30pm. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. As a long-established force in the southeastern Connecticut music scene, Foster has assembled a team of top-notch musicians who provide a solid night of entertainment and a rocking good time.
Afterwards, be sure to check out the fireworks extravaganza which starts at 9:30pm. Fireworks are open to guests of all ages.
Aside from our exciting Sunday finale, there are plenty of other festivities for you to enjoy during the Labor Day weekend at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. On Friday, August 29th and Saturday, August 30th, Rodney Laney, Thomas Kelly and Scott Bruce bring the laughs to Wise Crackers Comedy Club at 9:00pm.
For more information on these final Hot Summer Fun specials as well as other food and beverage offers, please visit the HSF website.
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN AT POCONO DOWNS: Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, owned by the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut is one of the most distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming, shopping and dining destinations in Pennsylvania. Situated on 400 acres in Plains, Pennsylvania, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs features a 238-room hotel with on-site spa and adjacent 20,000 square foot Convention Center. It is currently home to 82,000 square feet of gaming space including 87 live table games, 2,300 slot machines and electronic table games, a variety of dining and shopping options, nightlife, entertainment and live harness racing. Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs is within easy access of New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware. More information is available by calling 1.888.WIN.IN.PA (1.888.946.4672) or visiting our website. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, download our app and view us on YouTube.
Aug 1, 2014 | Racing
July 25-July 31, 2014
As the month of August dawns, the racing action at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs has reached a fever pitch. Five nights a week, outstanding trotters and pacers, often at the peak of their powers, are tested by some of the fastest action in the country. Drivers, trainers, and owners are also involved in these daily battles, their fires stoked by both their competitive natures and by the lure of the big purses. All of this combines to make the action at this time of year particularly exhilarating. It also makes choosing the Weekly Awards a difficult task, but here we go.
PACER OF THE WEEK: GIANT SCULPTURE
Winning streaks are difficult enough to sustain at a single track. Compiling several victories in a row while shipping from track to track is an even tougher task. After all, each track has its own bias that favors a certain style of pacing or trotting, meaning that a horse has to be versatile enough to handle that kind of variety. Giant Sculpture has proven just that kind of versatility in recent weeks.
The 6-year-old gelding picked up the first victory in his recent hot streak at Pocono on July 12, beating a field of $20,000 claimers in a career-best 1:49 with a strong first-over effort. He was claimed from that race and joined the barn of Christie Collins, who brought him to Harrah’s at Chester to knock off a condition field with a late rally in 1:51:3.
On Saturday night, he was back at Pocono facing a $20,000 to $25,000 claiming handicap group. Despite being saddled with the outside post in a field of eight, Giant Sculpture found some cover on the outside to help him advance through the field. In the stretch, he blew by the tiring leaders with George Napolitano Jr. in the bike to win in 1:50:3. Not only has he achieved this three-race streak on two different tracks, he has managed to do it in three different classes. Versatile, varied, and, most importantly, victorious: That’s how Giant Sculpture has been rolling of late.
Other top pacers this week include: Fitz’s Z Tam (Simon Allard, Rene Allard), who overcame an outside post to defeat a claiming handicap field on Sunday in 1:51:2, giving him two in a row; Gold Deuce (Joe Pavia Jr., Lou Pena), who won his second straight claimer on Friday night and did so in a career-best 1:51: and Clint Westwood (Anthony Napolitano, Ron Burke), whose condition victory on Saturday night in 1:49:4 gave him four wins in his last five.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: TEAM SIX
This 4-year-old stallion from the Erv Miller barn has been steadily improving throughout the 2014 season, but he has really peaked lately. A conquest of the non-winners of four at Pocono on July 8 gave him his first win of the season. He quickly followed that up with a rallying condition win at Harrah’s in 1:54:1. He then moved up the ladder to face the non-winners of $12,500 the last five starts at Pocono on July 22, putting in a good effort to finish third.
On Tuesday night, he stayed in the same class but didn’t have to face either of the two horses who finished in front of him in the previous start. He did have to face off with Canadian Wildcat, who set the early pace and dug in when Team Six tried to get by on the outside. For two of the three turns, Team Six was parked on the outside, a predicament which usually spells doom for a horse’s chances.
Driver Marcus Miller never panicked though, keeping Team Six right alongside the leader without taxing him too much. In the stretch, Canadian Wildcat finally wore down a bit and Team Six kicked on past for the victory in 1:53:2. That winning time was a career-best despite the tough trip and extra distance, meaning that this stallion should be primed for even better stuff when the racing breaks do even out and go his way down the road.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: Political Desire (Simon Allard, Rene Allard), whose victory in a condition trot on Saturday night came in a career-best 1:52:4, which was also the fastest trotting time of the week at Pocono; Whata Donato (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke), who notched a career-best mile of 1:53:1 in a condition victory on Tuesday; and Overandovervictory (Marcus Miller, Douglas Hamilton), who shipped in from Tioga for a condition victory on Sunday night in a career-best 1:53:4.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: JACKSONS MINION
He broke stride in his debut, but this 2-year-old trotter driven and trained by Tom Jackson atoned for it his second time out Friday night and won at 28-1, paying off $59.60 to win.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: TOM JACKSON
The veteran of the Pocono racing wars had an interesting week, picking up four victories, all of which came aboard horses scoring their maiden victories.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: RENE ALLARD
It was a monster week for the meet’s leading trainer, as he had two nights of four wins or more and had more victories than all but one driver for the week.
That will do it for this week, but we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
Aug 1, 2014 | Racing
July 26, 2014
Dancin Yankee earned his sixth win in a row against elite competition with a victory in Saturday night’s featured Preferred Handicap pace at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried the night’s top purse of $25,000.
Dancin Yankee (Yankee Cruiser-Dancewiththebest), a six-year-old stallion trained by Amber Buter, was assigned the outside post in the field of six and was made the 3-5 favorite. He settled fourth early as the lead changed hands three times. Driver Tyler Buter set him in motion on the back stretch and he corralled pacesetting Aracache Hanover at the top of the home stretch. Dancin Yankee then paced away to win by two lengths over Mach It So in 1:48:4. Bolt The Duer finished third.
The six-race winning streak of Dancin Yankee, owned by Rich Lombardo and Baron Racing Stable, includes four straight at Pocono. He now has 14 wins in 21 races this season, 38 lifetime victories, and career earnings of $900,962.
