Sun Stakes Saturday the fastest card ever!

Jun 25, 2014 | Racing

The great card of racing this past Saturday at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, primarily populated by elimination races for this Saturday’s $2.2M Sun Stakes Saturday, flirted with the divisional world record table on more than one occasion without any new names being set down, but the card as a whole did produce one record – according to the USTA’s Trotting and Pacing Guide, it was the fastest card ever in harness history, with an average win time of 1:49.2 for the 16 races. 
T&P Guide history notes two occasions when a race card’s average win time was 1:49.3 – on Saturday, July 16, 2005 at The Meadowlands, a 13-race card (p. 297, 2013 T&P Guide), and 52 weeks ago to the day at the same track (Saturday, June 22, 2013), when the Sun Stakes Saturday elim card produced the same 1:49.3 average over 14 races (p. 288, 2014 T&P Guide).
 This past Saturday’s 1:49.2 average included two trotting miles – a 1:52.2 by Nuncio and a 1:52.4 by Father Patrick in the two Earl Beal Trot elims. In all, of the 16 races, 11 miles went 1:50 or better; 8 went 1:49 or better; and 3 went in 1:48 or better – and those three came consecutively: Domethatagain upsetting his Ben Franklin Pace elim in 1:48, McWicked taking the fastest of the Max C. Hempt Pace elims in the same time, and then Sweet Lou taking the other Franklin elim in 1:47.4. 
This Saturday’s Sun Stakes Saturday card will include the finals of the Franklin (FFAP), Hempt (3PC), and Beal (3TC), all worth $500,000, plus the $300,000 James Lynch Final (3PF), the $100,000 Sun Invitational trot (which, according to some reports, may actually help the 1:50 count, if you can believe that) and the $100,000 USTA Invitational pace, plus consolation races for the four major races as they fill, plus a strong undercard (this past Saturday’s non-elim races averaged 1:49.3 themselves).
Post time for Saturday’s Sun Stakes Saturday card at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs is set for 6:30 p.m.   If you can’t make it to the races, wager via www.ibetmohegan.com; or stop by any of the 3 OTW locations; East Stroudsburg; Lehigh Valley, or Carbondale.

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Celebrates successful Derby day

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.