$2.2M in purses and a night of events for Sun Stakes Saturday

Saturday, July 4th, the best of the best will land in Northeast PA for the $2,268,000 Sun Stakes Saturday supercard, featuring the $500,000 Championships for the Ben Franklin FFA pace, the Earl Beal Jr. three-year-old colt trot, and the Max C. Hempt three-year-old colt pace, and the $300,000 James Lynch Championship for three-year-old filly pacers.   All four of these events have consolation events, and there are three other Invitationals/Opens on the monster card.
The day begins with a special Meet and Greet with former Buffalo Bills QB Jim Kelly on the Sky Bridge from 4:00-6:00pm.  This is a wristband-only event, with wristbands being distributed at 1:00pm.  Only authorized photos will be signed, and will be available at the signing.
Racing fans can pick up their souvenir Earl Beal Jr. Memorial hat at 8:00pm in the lower Grandstand bar, with a coupon from the live racing program.  Programs are available starting at 5:00pm in the racing lobby.
Breyer Horses will be on hand for the official launch party of the release of the Foiled Again model, which will be for sale during the evening.  A generous portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, who will also be on hand with a table of information and other items for sale.
Representatives of the US Trotting Association and the Harness Racing Fan Zone will be available to meet up with fans during the evening.
Racing fans are encouraged to bring their appetites because there will be outstanding selections from food trucks What The Fork; Big Belly’s BBQ; Wandering Chef; Doc Popcorn; and Johnny Rockets.
Post Time for this tremendous night of racing gets underway at 6:30pm.

Spend Independence Day Weekend at Mohegan Sun Pocono

Enjoy live music, thrilling gaming promotions, exhilarating horse racing and a celebrity appearanceHot Summer Fun

WILKES-BARRE, PA (June 30, 2015) – It’s nearly time to celebrate Independence Day, and there’s no better way to spend the holiday than with Mohegan Sun Pocono! Join Mohegan Sun Pocono from Wednesday, July 1st through Sunday, July 5th for a fun-filled weekend, including live entertainment, exhilarating horse racing, a sizzling fireworks display and more.
The fun begins on Wednesday, July 1st when Mohegan Sun Pocono kicks off summer with their annual Hot Summer Fun celebration. This year is hotter than ever, with new chances to win every day through August 31st, including thousands in cash prizes, Free Slot Play, two cars, a VIP experience at all three luxurious Mohegan Sun properties and more! Full details on how to play every day can be found at mohegansunpocono.com/HSF.
Start your weekend on Thursday, July 2nd when Mohegan Sun Pocono kicks off NEPA’s version of the wildly successful TV show Lip Sync Battle. Kicking off at 6:00pm at Party on the Patio, six performances will heat up the stage. Local judges will narrow things down to the final two contestants and crowd feedback will determine the weekly winner, so bring your loudest friends and cheer on your favorite “singer!”
Parrotheads unite! At 7:30pm, Mohegan Sun Pocono welcomes ParrotBeach, a Jimmy Buffett tribute band, to Party on the Patio for a free concert*. Get ready to kick up your heels, grab a refreshing cocktail and sing along to your favorite tunes with thousands of other Parrotheads on the track apron. After the show, step inside to the After Party in Breakers and enjoy the music of Gas Station Disco, known for igniting dance floors with their high energy stage show.
Unwind and have a drink at the Terrace with live music from Eddie Appnel on Friday, July 3rd at 6:00pm and Battle of the Bands finalist Nowhere Slow on Saturday, July 4th at 6:00pm. Also on Friday and Saturday night, enjoy a fun night of laughs with Louis Ramey, Mike Spiers and Scott Bruce at Wise Crackers Comedy Club starting at 9:00pm, or dance to live entertainment at Bar Louie and Breakers at 9:30pm.
If it’s harness racing that you’re after, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono is the place to be this weekend. Starting at 6:30pm on Friday, July 3rd, cheer for your favorite horse from the outdoor grandstand, or enjoy the outstanding view of the track and surrounding mountains while dining at Pacer’s Clubhouse. To commemorate 50 years of harness racing, grab a “Decades of the Downs” tee shirt starting at 8:00pm, then wear your shirt to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono any Friday in July and get a $10.00 live racing voucher!
Get to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono early on Saturday, July 4th, as former Buffalo Bills Quarterback Jim Kelly will be signing autographs and taking photos on the Sky Bridge from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. Kelly, known as the greatest quarterback in Buffalo Bills history, led his team to four consecutive Super Bowls and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in his first year of eligibility. Bracelets will be distributed starting at 1:00pm; only authorized photos will be signed and distributed at the event.
The $2 Million Sun Stakes Saturday Championship is set for Saturday, July 4th starting at 6:30pm, with the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial Trot, the Ben Franklin Free-For-All Pace, the Max Hempt Memorial Pace and the James Lynch Memorial Pace being contested on this prestigious night of harness racing. Then at 8:00pm, pick up your complimentary Earl Beal Jr. official hat in the Lower Grandstand.
Finally, on Sunday, July 5th, end your holiday weekend with a bang, with a fireworks extravaganza scheduled for approximately 9:30pm**. Free and open to all ages, the fireworks will immediately follow an action-packed night of harness racing which starts at 6:30pm.
For more information on happenings at Mohegan Sun Pocono over Independence Day weekend and beyond, visit their website.
Gambling problem? Call 1.800.GAMBLER.
*In inclement weather the ParrotBeach show may be moved indoors. ** Fireworks rain date is Monday, July 6th.
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN POCONO:
Mohegan Sun Pocono, 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 Pocono 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 91 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 Pocono 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.