Wilkes-Barre PA — The return of the fast-class pacer Hickfromfrenchlick, plus sharp outings from Casie Coleman Herlihy 3-year-olds, were the highlights on a Wednesday morning (May 5) qualifying session at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono conducted over a “sloppy” oval.

Hickfromfrenchlick, a son of So Surreal named after the NBA all-timer Larry Bird, was a good 2-year-old who went on to win more than $500,000 at three, taking his mark of 1:48.4 in the Empire Breeders Classic final. He qualified three times at age four, twice at Goshen and then posting a 1:49.4 qualifying win at The Meadowlands, but he had been absent from the racetrack between that outing on June 5 of last year and today, when he went down the road in 1:51.4 for trainer/driver Ray Schnittker, also co-owner with Nolamaura Racing and Thomas Spatorico.

Coleman Herlihy employed Matt Kakaley to drive her successful sophomores. One was Linedrive Hanover, a Betting Line gelding who impressed last year when on July 4 he won a qualifier in 1:53.2 at Woodbine Mohawk, but he only made one purse start, where he made a break, before being stopped with. He won Wednesday in 1:54.4, back half :55.4, for West Wins Stable, McKinlay & Fielding, J L Benson Stables Inc., and Mac Nichol.

The trainer/driver combo also won with the Captaintreacherous gelding Captainofrocknroll, a 1:53.1 winner at two who won Wednesday in 1:55.3 for owner Robert Hamather.

Coleman Herlihy also sent out with Kakaley with Dean B Hanover, a Betting Line gelding who won in 1:52.1 at two, and who was beaten only 1-1/2 lengths and thus race-timed in 1:52 behind Hickfromfrenchlick.