by John Zimich, publicity director, Pocono Downs

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Armbro Barrister, trained by Paul Doherty and driven by Ray Schnittker, equaled the all-time fastest trotting mile at Pocono Downs on Tuesday night (May 10) in winning the $7,000 Open Trot.

Leaving from the one post, Schnittker quickly seized the lead and scored a wire-to-wire victory with the timer reading 1:54.1. That mile equaled the all-age track record set by S J’s Caviar and driver Bob Blanton, Jr. on July 22, 2001. S J’s Caviar’s time also equaled the world record for a three-year-old trotting colt on a five-eighths-mile track that was established by Mack Lobell in 1987 at Pompano Park.

Armbro Barrister, a four-year-old Malabar Man stallion, also broke the previous track record for a four-year-old trotting horse at Pocono Downs. ENS Snapshot, with Mike Simons, had established that mark of 1:54.3 on June 24, 2003.

Schnittker and Armbro Barrister got to the opening panel in :27.1, the half in :56.3 and the three-quarters in 1:25.1.

This was Armbro Barrister’s third win in 2005 to go along with one third. Last year, Armbro Barrister earned more than $200,800 in winning seven of 20 starts with two seconds and three thirds.

Ray Schnittker, Jack Adkins, Earl Scheelar and Kelk’s Inc., all of New York, are his owners.