Wilkes-Barre, PA – Another C Note remained unbeaten in five seasonal starts on Saturday (May 9) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, posting a 1:52.2 mile. The victory came in one of four $30,000 divisions of the Pennsylvania All-Stars event for sophomore pacing males on a day where peak speed could not be approached by rain, resulting in a sloppy track, along with coolish temperatures.
The colt by Captaintreacherous, who sired three of the four All-Stars winners, sat second most of the way as Thai Hanover hustled to the top and put out splits of :27.1, :56.4 (stiff headwind in quarter two Saturday), and 1:24.2. Having paid $60.40 to win in his seasonal debut at the mountain oval but here knocked down to a dime on the dollar, Another C Note may have given his backers a bit of a flutter when sitting in nearing the far turn as Spunky Hanover and Papi Rick moved up two-wide. The chalk, however, was able to angle to the Pocono Pike and put up a neck decision on Papi Rick, with Spunky Hanover just another neck off. The winner is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC along with Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Stephen Dillon.
It was the second race in a row won on this card by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC along with driver Tyler Buter and trainer Ron Burke. That earlier race was a nice farewell to the respected veterinarian and Notre Dame football fan Dr. William Solomon, the breeder of trotter Frank Leahy, who won in the same week that Solomon passed away.
“C Note” saw his 1:52.2 winning time equaled in the only All-Stars division not taken by a son of Captaintreacherous, as the Sweet Lou colt Toast Of The Town came out sharp in his seasonal debut. Todd McCarthy rolled Toast Of The Town right down the road in :28.3, :57.2, and 1:25.1, with the :27.1 kicker enough for the second choice to keep favored Superchamp Hanover at bay by 2-1/4 lengths. Let It Ride Stables Inc. won its second All-Stars division, this time with partners Morrison Racing Stables, Jesmeral Stable, and Alberg Racing LLC.
Let It Ride Stables Inc. didn’t stop there, though; they added a third All-Stars cut in partnership with one of the other two sons of Captaintreacherous, Captain Apple. The colt had his own way early in :28.3 and :58.1, then went on to the three quarters in 1:26.3 en route to a 1:54.2 decision, 1-1/4 lengths ahead of Southwind Spencer. Patrick Ryder drove the winner and trainer Chris Ryder shares ownership with Let It Ride along with Lisa Ezzo and Alan Johnston.
Captaintreacherous’s third All-Stars siring success came from Treacherous Lou in his seasonal debut, riding in the golden chair behind Easy Breeze’s :27.4, :58, and 1:25.3, then outkicking that one home by three parts of a length in 1:53.4. Tim Tetrick drove the Robert Cleary trainee for Royal Wire Products Inc.
An overnight contest saw the seasonal debut of yet another sophomore to follow, the Downbytheseaside colt Gentleman’s Club, ranked third in the latest Road to the Meadowlands Pace behind undefeated Horse of the Year Beau Jangles and the fastest freshman ever, Odds On Mr Mamba (who both won on Saturday as well). Gentleman’s Club showed that he may belong in that lofty company for trainer Aaron Lambert and owner Anthony Licastro by racing three-wide most of a :26.2 opener, finally clearing under the line the first time, then going on to midsplits of :55.4 and 1:24. Horses were mounting threats from far back, but driver Andrew McCarthy did not look worried that the others may catch the Governor’s Cup winner in the 1:52.3 mile.
Another ultra-impressive 2026 debutant was yet another son of Captaintreacherous, the $1.2M winner Ken Hanover. The six year old tucked mid-pack early after leaving outside a host of speedsters, followed in factions of :26, :55, and 1:22.2, then roared wide in the stretch and exploded past quality horses with no difficulty in a 1:51 mile. Tim Tetrick handled the driving duties for trainer Polie Mallar, the latter co-owner with Patrick Leavitt, William Jordan, and Dennis Osterholt. Philly’s “Super Sunday” card is coming up in 15 days; Ken Hanover raced in the third-level Invitational (and won) last year, but this year he may get an invitation to the $100,000 Auger Memorial, the main event for his group.
Several horsemen proved themselves quite the good “mudders” in the less-than-perfect conditions. Braxten Boyd drove three winners, one more than each of the quartet of Tyler Buter, Todd McCarthy, Tim Tetrick, and Ridge Warren. Trainer Darren Taneyhill, currently on a 32% tear at the northeast Pennsylvania track, harnessed three winners, one more than Ron Burke.
Pennsylvania All-Stars action continues on Monday (May 11) at 1 p.m. with sophomore pacing fillies. Entries include Miss Jum Jabber, who upset the defending divisional champion Loua Dipa in the Sire Stakes at Philly with a devastating closing move in a 1:51.3 mile. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.