Broadway Socks Wins Fourth Consecutive in Stallion Series at Pocono

June 17, 2014
Broadway Socks won a division of the Stallion Series on Tuesday night for her fourth consecutive win overall, highlighting the action for three-year-old trotting fillies at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. There were six Stallion Series divisions held, each with a purse of $20,000.
Broadway Socks (Broadway Hall-I Gotta Feelin), driven by Dan Rawlings and trained by David Wade, won her split in 1:55:2 to keep her streak alive. Other Stallion Series winners on the night: Sincerely Yours S (Cantab Hall-Kemp’s Emilie), driven by Scott Zeron and trained by Jonas Czernyson, in 1:56:3; Outsourced Hanover (Donato Hanover-Oaklea Opal), driven by Matt Kakaley and trained by Ron Burke, in 1:55:4; Nitro Nittany (Explosive Matter-Miss Nittany), driven by Howard Parker and trained by Jim Raymer, in 1:54:4; Here’s Ethel (Equinox Bi-Overtookthem), driven by Brett Miller and trained by Sharlene Dufford, in 1:57:2; and Bikini So Teeny (Yankee Glide-Momsgotitgoinon), driven and trained by Charlie Norris, in 1:55.

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Week in Review

May 24-30, 2014
It was another extraordinary week of harness racing at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, one that featured a world record performance and some exciting Grand Circuit races. But the two horses that won the major honors this week are a pair of veterans who appear to be peaking at a time when most others are either winding down their careers or already retired. Let’s take a look at their exploits as we hand out the Weekly Awards.
PACER OF THE WEEK: ANDERLECHT
While it’s not unusual for a nine-year-old pacer to be winning races, most of those veterans do so in the lower claiming ranks. Since arriving from Yonkers, this stallion has taken on some top-flight condition pacers and showed them how it’s done. On May 17, he absolutely blitzed a group of non-winners of $15,000 in the last five races with a monster mile of 1:48, which would have been a track record were it not of Dancin Yankee beating him to the punch a few races earlier with a 1:47:2 mile.
After a mile like that, it was obvious that he would be the favorite facing the same condition group on Saturday night. Yet the concern for Anderlecht, trained by JD Lewis, was that the ripping time from the previous week would leave him a bit winded this time out. When Getitoffyourchest made an aggressive move past him on the back stretch, it looked like maybe those fears would be realized.
Driver Simon Allard didn’t panic though, biding his time until the stretch when he cut loose Anderlecht for another move. He rallied past Getitoffyourchest to win by a 1 ½ lengths, posting another scorching winning time of 1:49:1. Can this veteran move up in class off these two wins and beat even more accomplished pacers? Based on these performances, it seems like horses of all ages and classes should be wary.
Other top pacers this week include: Somwherovrarainbow (Tim Tetrick, Joe Holloway), whose win in a Preferred pace for mares on Sunday night came in 1:48, the fastest time ever posted by a female pacer on a 5/8-mile oval; Stanhope (Anthony Napolitano, Steve Salerno), who moved up in class to win his second straight condition pace on Sunday night, this one coming in 1:51:4; and Ella’s Twin (George Napolitano Jr., John Barchi), a mare who churned her way to her third straight claiming win on Wednesday night, this one in 1:54:3.
TROTTER OF THE WEEK: CHERRY TREE NICOLE
For a trotter to be a consistent winner week after week, it generally has to have a decent amount of getaway speed. Being close to the early lead takes a lot of variables out of a race, so the horses that can fire out of the gate well every race usually give themselves a good chance to win. Cherry Tree Nicole has virtually no leaving speed, yet the mare has been one of the most consistent winners since arriving from California in April.
The pattern for her races has been pretty much identical. She tends to start slowly, out-pacing just a couple horses in the large field around the first turn. On the back stretch, the mare starts to make steady advancement, and, in the stretch, she blows by everyone. That strategy led her to victories in three of her first four races at Pocono. Tuesday night was a tougher test because she was moving up in class to the $10,000 claimers. Plus, she was switching barns, racing for the first time under the banner of trainer Steve Salerno.
Yet for all the changes, the results turned out to be strikingly similar. Cherry Tree Nicole, an eight-year-old mare with an impressive 65 career wins coming into the race, started in her usual lethargic way. When it counted though, driver Matt Kakaley had her in gear, and she coasted by the tiring leaders for a win in 1:57:2. Who said you can’t come from off the pace and win consistently? This gritty mare will have none of that nonsense.
Honorable mention on the trotting side goes to: Stitch In Time (Tyler Buter, Amber Buter), who captured Tuesday night’s featured condition trot with a flying rally in a career-best 1:54:4; A Crown For Lindy (George Napolitano Jr., Gilberto Garcia-Herrera), who picked up his second straight claiming win on Wednesday night with a victory in 1:55; and Broadway Socks (Dan Rawlings, David Wade), who followed up a Stallion Series win at The Meadows with a victory here on Sunday night against other three-year-old fillies in the Historic Series, posting a career-best 1:55 in the process.
LONG SHOT OF THE WEEK: PRINT IT
After winning at 22-1 on April 26, this 12-year-old pacer did it again on Saturday night with Tyler Buter in the bike, defeating a claiming group at 32-1 for a $66 payout on a $2 win ticket.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK: TYLER BUTER
One of a seemingly endless cadre of excellent drivers plying their trade at Pocono, Buter was hot this week, racking up five wins including a three-bagger on Saturday.
TRAINER OF THE WEEK: STEVE SALERNO
Year in and year out, Salerno is a force at Pocono, and he’s been picking up steam of late, including a training double on Sunday night and three wins 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].

Shake It Cerry Triumphant at Pocono

May 25, 2014
Shake It Cerry returned to the scene of her Breeders Crown win a year ago with a dominating victory in the Historic Series Coaching Club Oaks on Sunday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race, part of the Grand Circuit series, was one of two divisions held on the night for 3-year-old trotting fillies, each of which carried a purse of $33,212.
Driven by Ron Pierce for trainer Jimmy Takter, Shake It Cerry (Donato Hanover-Solveig), who won the 2-year-old distaff trotting Breeders Crown title at Pocono in October, moved to two-for-two as a 3-year-old with an unhurried victory by 1 ¾ lengths in 1:56:1. Cooler Schooner finished second in her 2014 debut while L Dees Scripture captured the show.
In the first division, Broadway Socks (Broadway Hall-I Gotta Feelin) went gate-to-wire for a three-quarter length victory in a career-best 1:55. Dan Rawlings did the driving for trainer David Wade aboard Broadway Socks, the 2-1 second choice who was coming off a Stallion Series win in her previous start. Highest Peak finished second while favored Lifetime Pursuit settled for third.

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Week in Review

July 6-12, 2012
One of the most fun parts of any racing season occurs when the younger horses take center stage. These stars of tomorrow are often green in terms of experience but great in terms of talent. From July 3-8, Grand Circuit Week at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs featured some outstanding 2 and 3-year-old trotters and pacers in the Pennsylvania All-Stars races. Let’s take a look at each of the eight classes that were held over those five nights of racing, an exciting week that showcased potential for the future and thrilling racing in the present.
2-YEAR-OLD PACING COLTS & GELDINGS
Santa Fe Beachboy kicked off Grand Circuit Week with a bang last Tuesday, winning in a blistering time of 1:52 in his first start ever, a time that would hold up as the fastest in the class. That set the tone for six $25,000 divisions of this class in which several heavy favorites dominated their splits. Trainer Ray Schnittker had two of those heavy favorites, Red Rock and Cowboy Terrier, who each won in their debut races. Both of those winners were driven by Tim Tetrick, who added a third winner in the class with Lone Wolf Currier, who followed up a win at Harrah’s with a convincing win in 1:53:1.
2-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLTS & GELDINGS
As you might expect, this grouping, which held six $25,000 divisions last Tuesday, was dominated by a guy who always has a barn full of superb young trotters: Trainer Jimmy Takter. Jimmy also did the driving and picked up three victories with High Bridge, Atlas Peak, and Dontyouforgetit, all of whom won their debuts with relative ease. Takter wasn’t the only trainer with something to smile about in this class. David Wade looks like he has a star on his hands with easy winner Tigress’s Legacy, and Rich Gillock sent out Major Athens, who rolled with David Miller in the bike to the group’s fastest winning time of 1:56.
2-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLIES
Seven divisions of freshman fillies hit the track last Wednesday for their $25,000 All-Stars races. A couple of horses moved to 2-for-2 in their young careers with wins, as Somstreetsomwhere and Banner Beach Day turned the trick. It was a first-time starter who turned in the fastest time of the night, however, as Antigua Hanover, trained by Mark Harder and piloted by Jim Morrill Jr., scored in 1:53:3. Morrill also played a part in the grouping’s biggest upset, driving Binding Desire to a surprising win at odds of 11-1.
2-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLIES
The most impressive performance in this class, which held four $35,000 divisions on Friday night, belonged to Fashion Athena. Despite it being her debut race, this filly with Andrew McCarthy driving for Jim Campbell rallied to win her split in a sizzling 1:55:1, less than a second off the track record for her age and gender. Driver Matt Kakaley had two of the other winners, scoring with Good Intentions and Frau Blucher.
3-YEAR-OLD PACING COLTS AND GELDINGS
A late rain storm on Saturday night meant that two of the three $50,000 divisions of this class were held in the slop. That didn’t slow down either Star Recruit or I Like Dreamin, who each won in the off-going in identical times of 1:51:4. Mcerlean, driven my Matt Kakaley for trainer Trond Smedshammer, scored in the one split on a fast track in 1:51:1.
3-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLTS AND GELDINGS
The big star in the three $50,000 divisions held Saturday night was Uncle Peter, who couldn’t get by Googoo Gaagaa in the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial but atoned for it with a sizzling win in the All-Stars in 1:52:3 for Jimmy Takter. Takter also scored with Nothing But Class early in the night, a notable win because it was the colt’s maiden victory.
3-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLIES
Driver Dave Palone, making his first appearance at Pocono since breaking North America’s all-time record for driving wins, picked up victories in two of the five $32,000 divisions of this class on Sunday night, winning with Lady Andi and On The Bright Side. Tim Tetrick also scored twice in this class, once aboard Can’t Have My Moni, and once aboard Oasis Dream, a 16-1 shot whose mile of 1:54 was just one-fifth of a second off the track record for the age group.
3-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLIES
Of the three $50,000 divisions held in this class Sunday night, Moonlit Dragon, driven by Eric Carlson and trained by Bruce Saunders, went the fastest, winning her split in a sizzling career-best time of 1:50:4. The other winners were Kiss Dont Bite, with Andy Miller in the bike for Noel Daley, and Podges Lady, who won despite a month layoff for trainer Joe Seekman and driver Eric Ledford.
All in all, it was another fantastic Grand Circuit Week at Pocono. Next week, we’ll get back to our Weekly Awards for the overnight races. Until then, we’ll see you at the track. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].
 

The Stars come out at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs is celebrating July 3rd with a special early Post Time of 5:00 p.m. and a night full of “stars” – All-Stars, that is – and a spectacular fireworks display.  
The first night of the Pennsylvania All-Stars kicks off on Tuesday, July 3rd with six divisions for 2-year-old trotting colts & geldings and six divisions for 2-year-old pacing colts & geldings. 
“You’ll be seeing some of the future stars in the sport during this Grand Circuit Week,” Race Secretary Rick Kane revealed. Ray Schnittker, who has developed outstanding younger horses in the past such as Deweycheatumnhowe, sends out Red Rock, son of The Panderosa, and Cowboy Terror, a son of Somebeachsomewhere.   
In the trotting divisions, the Hall of Fame honoree Jimmy Takter trains High Bridge, son of Cantab Hall, fresh off a win in a baby race.  The Ron Burke trained Arctic Tale, son of Donato Hanover, who  trotted to his baby win in 1:58, and Tigress’s Legacy, son of S J’s Caviar, trained by David Wade, with a 1:58 2/5 win in a baby race, will both be looking  for another win to cement their mark as future stars. 
The Pennsylvania All-Stars continues Wednesday, July 4th; Friday, July 6th; Saturday, July 7th, and Sunday, July 8th with the regular Post Time of 6:30 for all nights. 
Fireworks immediately follow the Tuesday, July 3rd race card of 16 races.