Author: by John Horne for Tioga Downs

Powered by Mach (Jim Pantaleano) captures the featured $9,500 fillies & mares’ pace at Tioga Downs on Friday (July 4).

McBardle (Brad Irvine) fires late to capture the $4,000 Pace of the day at Vernon Downs on Friday (July 4).

Aaron Merriman took two of the four $20,000 divisions of the Buckeye Stallion Series for 3-year-old filly pacers Friday (July 4) at Eldorado Scioto Downs, including the first in a speedy 1:50.4.

Chuck ($8.50) used some deep stretch fireworks to take the $16,000 Open Trot at Buffalo Raceway on Friday afternoon (July 4) with a three-quarter length victory over the favored Big Baller Beane in 1:56.4 on the fast track.

Pilar Hanover, on the board in all four of her initial 2025 starts, was quite impressive in finally reaching this year’s win column, winning a $14,000 handicap pace for up-and-coming female pacers at Harrah’s Philadelphia Friday afternoon (July 4) while lowering her mark to 1:51.1.

Six sophomores are undefeated through two legs of the 2025 Ohio Sires Stakes. Three of them — Odds On Chesapeake, Odds On Hialeah, and Aunt Laura — are trained by Virgil Morgan Jr.

Breakfast With The Babies, sponsored by Fashion Farms, got underway at 9:00 a.m., on a perfect summer morning at the Meadowlands. The temperature was a comfortable 71 and the track nice and fast with negligible breeze to begin. John Rallis and Greg Blanchard called the action.

Jim Magno and Joe Fonte’s Incaseyoudidntknow ($3.20, Jim Morand) was a 1:53.4 winner despite a less than ideal journey over a sloppy racetrack in the featured $18,000 Mares Open Tuesday (July 1) at Harrington Raceway.

The leadling driver and trainer at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, Tyler Buter and Ron Burke, joined up for a pair of victories on the Tuesday (July 1) afternoon card, including a win with Jeffery P in the $15,000 claiming handicap for trotters with hefty pricetags.

The local stakes season for 2-year-olds opened with a bang on the Monday (June 30) afternoon before the Fourth of July at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, as Mr Big Spender trotted the fastest mile of the year for a baby over a 5/8-mile track, 1:54.2, when he won one of four $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event.