Wilkes-Barre, PA — The 9-year-old Majestic Son gelding High Blue took a new lifetime mark with a 1:54.2 win in the $15,000-$20,000 claiming handicap trotting feature on the Monday (July 1) twilight card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Simon Allard, driving for trainer Rene Allard and owner Allard Racing Inc., was away swiftly with High Blue, putting fellow leavers in behind him before a :27.1 quarter. After a :56.2 half, Djokovic N came first-over and battled with the leader to and past the 1:24.3 three-quarters. High Blue proved game in the lane, holding off not only Djokovic N and pocket-sitting Chuckabuck, but also the fast-closing Keystone Charger, who came up three-quarters of a length shy of the 35-time winner.

In a $13,000 contest for 2-year-old pacing fillies, two misses put on a titanic struggle the last three-eighths of a mile, as the American Ideal-Good Stuff filly American Dreamgirl nosed out the Captaintreacherous-Tutu Hanover miss Lyons Sentinel in 1:54.4, lowering her mark by 3-3/5 seconds.

Gareth Dowse sent Lyons Sentinel around favored American Dreamgirl and Simon Allard early, hitting the quarter in :27.4 before slowing the half to :59. American Dreamgirl came out of the pocket at the five-eighths, and the pair fought tooth and nail the rest of the way. American Dreamgirl got a brief lead past the 1:26.4 three-quarters, but Lyons Sentinel reclaimed command at head-stretch, only to have American Dreamgirl stay on and stick her nose ahead right on the money. The winner, also successful in a New York Excelsior A race at Monticello a week ago, is trained by Kevin Lare for owner Frank Chick.