Wilkes-Barre, PA — Star Studded Cast overcame the outside post eight for a 1:55.1 victory — his third straight — in the featured upper-level claiming trot on Monday (June 17) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Star Studded Cast captured his third straight win in Monday’s featured claiming trot at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Curtis Salonick photo.

Trainer-driver Hunter Oakes, who acquired Star Studded Cast when he was claimed by Northfork Racing Stable out of his last start, sent him straight to the top from the outside, hitting the quarter in :27.1. The 8-year-old Current Cast gelding yielded the lead to Noble Prize passing the stands, but came back to reclaim the front by the :56 half.

Despite these fast early fractions, Star Studded Cast stayed strong on the front, passing three-quarters in 1:25.3 and then finishing two lengths ahead of Shivered, who rallied three-wide from near the back on the backstretch and made up a lot of ground.

Star Studded Cast, who finished second in his Maine Sire Stakes finals at both 2 and 3, posted his sixth win of the campaign and the 32nd of his career. He now has amassed earnings of $279,850.

Leading driver George Napolitano Jr. had three winners on the Monday card, giving him 10 victories at Pocono over the first three cards of the racing week, and 14 since Saturday, including the four he notched at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday.