Wilkes-Barre, PA — Highalator showed sharp early speed to win the $30,000 final preliminary in the Great Northeast Open Series for pacers Saturday night (Aug. 31) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in 1:48.2.

Highalator wins a Great Northeast Open Series event in 1:48.2 on Saturday evening. Curtis Salonick photo.

Driver Richard Still fully exploited his post two draw to the maximum against Backstreet Shadow, who was looking for his sixth straight win. In early stretch Still pulled Highalator to the outside and wore down the gallant Backstretch Shadow before deep stretch. Scott Rocks, third-in, came up the Pocono Pike to get third, ahead of Prairie Panther.

Highalator now has earnings of $537,099 for trainer Jenny Bier, who co-owns the son of Somebeachsomewhere with Joann Dombeck and Midsize Construction Inc. The pacer has won 11 of 23 starts in 2019, 32 of 69 lifetime outings, and 14 of his 23 career starts at Pocono.

The Racing Office at Pocono is the official arbiter of the Great Northeast Open Series, but an unofficial calculation performed after this last Great Northeast Open Series race divisional prelim revealed the following nine horses with the most points: 1. Tiger Thompson N; 2. Scott Rocks; 3. None Bettor A; 4. Highalator; 5. Our Max Phactor N; 6. Rodeo Rock; 7. Backstreet Shadow; 8. Havefaithinme N; 9. Prairie Panther.

The Great Northeast Open Series will have its three $100,000 finals during a twilight card on Monday (Sept. 9), a card which will also include all eight Pennsylvania Stallion Series finals.

Atta Boy Dan won the ninth race out of his last 10 starts. The 10-year-old altered son of Western Terror Atta Boy Dan won his fourth straight in the $20,000 claiming handicap pace. George Napolitano Jr. held the dead-game veteran together for trainer Mike Watson and owner Cliff Grundy, enabling him to top $900,000 in career earnings with his 67th lifetime winners circle picture and his 15th victory of the year, tied for second for North American honors.