by John Zimich, publicity director, Pocono Downs

Dave Palone collected five W. N. Reynolds Stake wins Saturday night (July 10) at The Downs at Pocono as Grand Circuit Week got underway at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack.

Those five wins equaled Palone’s own track mark of five stake victories at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack. He won five stake events in 1999 here.

Two of the five wins this past Saturday night came with topflight three-year-old pacing colts.

He piloted JK Royal Flush, trained by Linda Toscano, to a two-hole trip victory in 1:51. Palone left quickly from the seven post and found a hole second behind pace setter and race favorite Skydancer Hanover (George Napolitano, Jr.).

Skydancer Hanover, looking for that seventh win of the season in nine starts, took the nine-horse field to the opening panel in 26.4, half in 55.4 and three-quarters in 1:24 before JK Royal Flush was taken to the outside and went right on by coming down the stretch, winning by two lengths over Skydancer Hanover.

In another division of the W.N. Reynolds Stake for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, Palone went wire to wire from the seven hole with Maltese Artist, also trained by Toscano.

Maltese Falcon got to the opening quarter in 26.2, half in 55.3 and three-quarters in 1:23.3 before winning in 1:51.

Those times are the fastest of the 2004 season at Pocono Downs.

Palone won all three of the Reynolds races for the three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. He collected that third victory by coming off the pace with Hop Sing, trained by Brendan Johnson.

Hop Sing was a winner in 1:53.4.

Shadowofyoursmile (Ed Lohmeyer), Coulantine (Palone), Twin B Senorita (Ray Schnittker), Up Front Lisa (Palone), Centerfold Hall (Mike Simons), and Premiere Lady (Doug Snyder) won Reynolds Stake races for two-year-old filly trotters.

Premiere Lady, now a winner of three of four starts for trainer Don Wiest, recorded the fastest time of the distaff trotters, stopping the timer in 1:59.2.