from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — On Tuesday evening (Oct. 11), The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono honored one of the finest horsemen and gentlemen that it has ever hosted when there was a special ceremony for Joe Pavia Jr. as he retired from driving.

Curtis Salonick photo

Horsemen and track management gathered in the winner’s circle to honor Joe Pavia Jr.

A 56-year-old native of Utica, N.Y., Pavia won 5,478 races and $37,888,704 in a 36-year career in the sulky, and was the leading driver on multiple occasions at both the Downs and his winter home of Pompano Park. He will now be focusing his energies on training.

The virtual emptying of the paddock as horsemen streamed to the winner’s circle to be in one final picture with Pavia says more about the respect he has earned than any other tribute.

Yes You Can is now two-for-two at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono since shipping in for trainer Tony Dinges after taking the $14,000 featured mares pace Tuesday night in 1:51.

It was anything but an easy win for the daughter of If I Can Dream, as she was double-looped out of the gate. Persuasive Hanover circled three inside leavers early to grab command past the eighth, while Single Me drove on three-wide, getting by Yes You Can, who stayed outside as Single Me cleared to the front shortly past the :26.2 quarter.

Driver Jim Marohn Jr. pressed on with Yes You Can, but she was out more than three-eighths of a mile before grabbing the lead en route to the :55 half. She got no breather on the lead, as Shutthefrontdoor made a strong uncovered bid for command to the 1:22.2 three-quarters and beyond.

After that one faded slightly at headstretch, Marohn turned his attention inside, where Single Me and Andrew McCarthy were launching a rally that kept cutting into the leader’s margin, but Single Me’s bid would come up a nose shy, with Shutthefrontdoor holding well for third.

Yes You Can boosted her career bankroll to $153,223 with the victory for the Holland Racing Stable, and the victorious favorite missed her lifetime mark, set when coming to Pocono last week, by a tick.

Marohn is one of the hot quartet who dominated the Pocono winner’s circle this past week, and during the first two weeks of October. Joining with Simon Allard and Napolitano brothers George and Anthony, the foursome won 39 of this past week’s 57 races (68 percent), and for October they are a combined 74 for 113 (65 percent).