from the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, in conjunction with The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Harrah’s Philadelphia

Chester, PA — The leading point winners in both open divisions of the Great Northeast Open Series will be in action this Sunday (July 15) in $30,000 events, with Rodeo Romeo going in the Open Pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia in the afternoon and Homicide Hunter in the Open Trot at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on their evening card.

Rodeo Romeo raised his GNOS tally to 6-3-2-1, good for 362 points (the most of any horse in any of the three GNOS divisions), with a 1:49.4 triumph at Pocono last Saturday night. Eric Carlson will again be in the sulky this Sunday afternoon for trainer Chris Ryder as Rodeo Romeo starts from post two in a nine-horse field.

Split The House, who set the pace at Pocono last week only to be caught by Rodeo Romeo by a head, was made the 3-1 favorite from post five, the best starting spot at Philly, for driver Brett Miller and trainer Chris Oakes. Two weeks back Split The House, the 2017 Breeders Crown winner for his division, was triumphant in the Franklin Consolation at Pocono.

Homicide Hunter has two wins and a fifth in his three GNOS starts, putting him at the top of the pack with 180 points in a division where the top six horses are separated by only 30 points. Both of his GNOS wins have come at Pocono, and in between he tied the world record for older trotting geldings on a five-eighths-mile track with a 1:50.3 triumph at Scioto.

Homicide Hunter will start as the 5-2 favorite from post five (also tops statistically at Pocono) in the trotting event for driver George Napolitano Jr. and trainer Chris Oakes (who thus has the chalk in both GNOS races Sunday); the one possible knock against Homicide Hunter is that he has not raced in 28 days.

Second choice in the GNOS trot is a newcomer to the series, but certainly not a newcomer to top-level racing: Moonshiner Hanover, listed at 3-1 from post two for driver David Miller and Chris Beaver. Moonshiner Hanover had notched two straight triumphs before finishing second to champion mare Ariana G when she set a 1:50.2 world record at The Meadowlands last week.

The Great Northeast Series continues with weekly events on the conditioned sheet until the weekend of Aug. 25. The top point winners in each division (open trot, open pace, mares pace) will be eligible to declare in for $100,000 GNOS championship races, to be conducted at 1-1/4 miles, on Sunday evening (Sept. 2) at Pocono, which is also the night of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes finals for 3-year-olds.