May 24, 2015 | Racing
Triple Crown fever is striking everywhere, and anticipation is high for American Pharoah’s bid on Saturday, June 6th with the Belmont Stakes.
With a big celebration planned for Belmont Stakes Saturday, the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono is excited to announce that jockey Victor Espinoza will be appearing for autographs and photos on Tuesday, June 2 from 3:30pm to 5:00pm in the Racing Lobby. This is a wristband-only event, and fans may obtain their wristband starting at 1:00pm, with a very limited amount available.
Only the authorized photo, which will be distributed at the signing, will be autographed, and a professional photographer will be on hand for photos, which will then be posted on the Mohegan Sun Pocono Facebook page for sharing.
Belmont Stakes Saturday will be a huge party, with live harness racing at 3:30pm until 5:00pm, and 12 additional races immediately following the 147th Belmont Stakes. Food trucks; the “Belmont Breeze” in souvenir glasses; and plenty of bars with ice cold beverages will be on the apron for the fans to enjoy in anticipation of post time and history in the making. American Pharoah merchandise will be for sale on the apron as well.
Victor Espinoza has won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes three times, riding War Emblem in 2002; California Chrome in 2014; and American Pharoah this year. As of this date, he is the first jockey in history to enter the Belmont Stakes with a third opportunity to win the Triple Crown.
Jun 13, 2014 | Racing
June 7-13, 2014
With a day-night doubleheader on Belmont Stakes day, this past week featured five live racing cards at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Filling up those cards was no problem, as Pocono welcomed a bunch of shippers from other tracks to go up against the holdovers who have already established themselves throughout the first couple months of the meet. This made for a thrilling week of racing, the best performances of which we now honor by handing out the Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: STEELHEAD HANOVER
This 5-year-old stallion from the Joe Pavia Jr. barn came into Saturday night’s condition pace for non-winners of $22,500 in the last five starts with wins in two of the three starts he made at Pocono in 2014. In a victory on May 31, Steelhead Hanover benefitted from a comfortable trip which allowed him to stay on the inside for much of the mile before rallying late for a victory in 1:50:2.
When a horse enjoys a trip like that, it’s natural to be skeptical if it can have the same success without that kind of relaxing journey. Add that to the fact that Steelhead Hanover was moving up in class, and he seemed more likely to struggle this time around. Yet Pavia, who also did the driving, attacked early with his stallion, taking the lead and setting imposing fractions.
There was no help for Steelhead Hanover on this night, and he made it clear by his stellar performance that he didn’t need any. He didn’t let up on the front end until he crossed the finish line a length-and-a-half in front of his nearest foe in 1:48:3. That time not only now stands as the fastest of the stallion’s career, but it was faster than anybody else paced this past week at Pocono.
Honorable mention on the pacing side goes to: Meirs Hanover (Simon Allard, Rene Allard), who moved way up the condition ladder on Saturday night with no sweat, scoring his second straight victory in 1:49:3; Ahead Ofthe Curve (George Napolitano Jr., Paul Holzman), who moved up in class and still managed his third straight claiming victory on Saturday night, beating a field of $20,000 claimers in 1:50:1; and Aracache Hanover (Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke), who won the week’s featured pace, Saturday night’s $25,000 Preferred Handicap, in 1:49.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: LUV YA TYLER
It’s unusual for a horse to win as a significant long shot in consecutive weeks. One of two things usually happens: Either the horse’s performance in his first long shot win is so impressive that it gets a lot more attention at the windows the following week, or, if it is still a long shot the second time around, the law of averages catches up to it and it comes up short.
Somebody should tell that to Luv Ya Tyler, a 7-year-old gelding who had been winless in eight races this year before a claim put him in the barn of trainer Neal Ehrhart. In his first start in the new barn, the gelding went off at 20-1 against a field of $15,000 claimers but rallied for the victory in a career-best 1:54:2.
Once again on Tuesday night, he wasn’t given much of chance at the tote board when he moved up in class to face a $20,000-$25,000 claiming handicap class. All the outside speed in the race eventually wore itself out, leaving room for a closer to steal the race. Luv Ya Tyler, at 19-1 this time around, sat back off the fast fractions early and, with Mike Simons in the bike, came up flying for the victory in 1:54:2, matching that career-best from a week previous. After two straight wins, the odds he’ll need to defy probably won’t be quite so long the next time around.
Other top trotters this week include: Song Of Virtue (Joe Pavia Jr., Jennifer Sabot), a mare who picked up her second straight win over the $7,500 claimers on Saturday morning and did so in a new career-best time of 1:56:2; P L Fantastic (Simon Allard, Rene Allard), who burned up the track in a condition win and matched the week’s fastest trotting time on Tuesday night with a victory in 1:53:3; and Revrac Harbour (Scot Zeron, Tony Alagna), who picked up his second straight win at Pocono on Wednesday night, this coming in Stallion Series action in 1:55:4.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: ZIP IT LOCK IT
Tyler Buter has been aboard several huge long shots this year, but none was as big a bomber as this pacing mare on Wednesday night at 75-1 for a $158 payout on a $2 win ticket.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: SCOTT ZERON
This newcomer to the Pocono racing wars has been improving as he gets acclimated to his new surroundings, and five combined wins on Tuesday and Wednesday prove he’s becoming a major factor.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: KEVIN CARR
With a win on Sunday and two more victories on Tuesday night, Carr made a significant jump this week in the Pocono training standings.
That will do it for this week, but I’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
Feb 14, 2014 | Racing
A double-header on Kentucky Derby Day and an additional day per week of racing in July and August are two of the changes in the new Pocono racing schedule for 2014, as announced by Vice President of Racing Operations, Dale Rapson.
Racing opens at the renowned 5/8 mile oval in Wilkes Barre, PA on March 22, and for the first few months of the new season, (March through June), will take place on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Kicking off the stakes schedule on opening night will be the Bobby Weiss Late Closing Series for 3 and 4 year olds, named for the beloved former Director of Track Maintenance. Bobby retired in 2011, and was responsible for the record-breaking track surface that is maintained today. The finals for the series will take place starting April 19, and conclude on April 23.
The prestigious Sun Stakes Saturday is planned for Saturday, June 28th, and will feature the Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial 3-year-old Trot; the James Lynch 3-year-old Filly Pace; the Max Hempt 3-year-old Colt & Gelding Pace; and the Ben Franklin Free For All Pace. Eliminations will take place on Saturday, June 21st.
For the summer months of July and August, an extra day has been added. The race days will move to Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The track will race Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday September through closing in November. There will be no live racing the week of September 8th for the annual Oktoberfest celebration.
Kentucky Derby Day, May 3rd,, traditionally a huge celebration of racing and partying, will also boast a double-header with two Pocono live race cards. Post Time for the first card will be at 11 a.m., and the second will be immediately following the 140th running of the Derby. In between, there will be the Run for the Roses Hat Review and a huge party on the track apron. Live racing will immediately follow the second and third legs of the Triple Crown, the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
Post Time for all racing nights is 6:30 p.m., with the season concluding on Saturday, November 22.
May 12, 2013 | Racing
Sunny skies, warm temperatures, and a scorching Kentucky Derby 139 race added to hot handle numbers for Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs for 2013.
The track in Northeast PA, who threw a big Derby party complete with a double header of harness racing, saw an increase in their handle numbers over last year, as well as a significant increase with their ADW site, ibetMohegan.com. All three Off track locations; Lehigh Valley, East Stroudsburg, and Carbondale, enjoyed lucrative handle numbers, with Lehigh Valley’s increase from last year the most significant.
The day kicked off with Post Time of the first live racing card at 11:00 a.m., and by the time the Kentucky Derby race was declared official, close to 9000 fans had made their way to the newly renovated racing apron to toast Orb in his victory. New concession stands built into the original lower Grandstand with full bars were humming with business, and bettors enjoyed outside betting windows on the apron, as well as on the upper patio.
Plans are already in the works for both a Preakness and Belmont Stakes party with fans eager for Orb to grab the elusive Triple Crown. The apron concession stands, party tent, and patio will all open Preakness day at 2 p.m. with Black-Eyed Susans, the traditional drink of the Preakness, and other ice-cold drinks. Food will Johnny Rockets will be available.
Jun 1, 2012 | Gaming, General News, Sports
Enjoy specialty drinks, great food, racing rewards, cash giveaways and a drink on the house with a Triple Crown victory!
On Saturday, June 9th, the Belmont Stakes takes center stage and once again Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs is calling on race fans to celebrate the big race with a jumbo screen, special cocktails and a chance to win some great giveaways and prizes.
The patio, party tent and Pacer’s Clubhouse will all open at 2:00pm for the Belmont Stakes festivities. From 2:00pm through 6:00pm, guests can swipe their Player’s Club card or Racing Rewards card at any kiosk for a chance to win one of five $1,000 live racing betting vouchers or $5,000 in cash starting after Pocono race 1. The official drink will be the Belmont Breeze which comes in a special souvenir glass. Food from Johnny Rockets and sweet treats from Ben & Jerry’s will be available for guests and if “I’ll Have Another” wins the Triple Crown, all party goers will be treated to another drink, on the house!
For reservations, call 570.831.2100.
*Restrictions apply. Must present kiosk coupon. Must be 21 or over, have a valid I.D. and Player’s Club or Racing Rewards card. Redemption at select bars. Must be present to win betting vouchers and cash.
Also, it’s fitting that on Friday, June 8th, jockey Ron Turcotte of the 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat will be joining Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs for a special Signings & Sightings at the race track apron. Meet the racing legend beginning at 6:30pm. Race enthusiasts will also be able to purchase a special commemorative Secretariat Belmont Stakes poster for $5.00 and have Ron sign it. Proceeds will benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
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 is currently home to 55,000 square feet of gaming space including over 82 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.inpa (1.888.946.4672) or visiting mohegansunpocono.com.
