by John Zimich, publicity director, Pocono Downs

Wilkes-Barre, PA — George Napolitano, Jr., the top trainer and driver during the 2003 season at The Downs at Pocono (Home of Pocono Downs harness racing), is looking for another banner year at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack.

However, he won’t be competing at Pocono Downs when the season gets underway on Saturday night, April 3. Post time is 7:40 p.m.

Napolitano, Jr., is hoping to make his first driving start at Pocono Downs on Tuesday night (April 20). He’s currently one of the top drivers and trainers at Pompano Park in Florida.

He’s well on his way to a training title at the Florida racetrack in addition to being the third leading driver behind Bruce Ranger and Wally Hennessey. The latter also will campaign at Pocono during the 2004 racing season. The most recent training stats from the five-eighths-mile track in Florida showed him with 316 starts, 79 wins, 64 seconds and 37 thirds for a UTRS of .402. He also had 105 driving victories on 524 starts with 101 seconds and 67 thirds for a UDRS of .350.

“It’s not easy staying on top year after year,” said Napolitano, Jr. “One has to keep the horses fresh and sound to remain competitive. Good horses can make you look good, too. That’s what we attempt to do. This year, I’ll be bringing 40 horses to race at Pocono. We have a lot of New Jersey horses among them.

“We have a beautiful home in Florida and it’s nice to sit out by the pool,” said Napolitano, Jr. “But I’m ready for a change. We’re treated well in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the people at the track have been great to us. We look forward to another banner year.”

No doubt Napolitano, Jr., will have the largest stable racing at Pocono Downs. He also has the largest payroll with a stable of some 10 employees. His second trainer once again will be Todd Stone.

“I really have to credit my staff and particularly my wife, Kathy, for all of my success,” said Napolitano, Jr. “I probably would have folded if it weren’t for my wife. She does such a great job for me. My top pacer is Kathy Napolitano,” he kidded.

During the 2003 meet at Pocono, Napolitano, Jr., collected 264 wins on 1,105 starts with 186 seconds and 143 thirds for a UDRS of .376. He also had a record-setting 158 training wins on 553 starts with 112 seconds and 74 thirds for a whopping .443 UTRS.

He made $1,062,423 in purses as a driver last season and $618,805 as a trainer. Those totals are the most ever accumulated by a driver-trainer in the history of Pocono Downs.

There’s no doubt he’ll once gain be the man to beat during the 2004 season at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack. The season runs 126 days and will conclude October 19.