by John Zimich, Pocono Downs Publicity

Brandon’s Cowboy, a three-year-old The Panderosa colt, produced the fastest time of the 2004 harness racing season at TheDowns at Pocono in winning one of five divisions of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for pacing three-year-old colts and geldings Saturday (July 31) night.

Leaving from the four post, George Napolitano, Jr., quickly went to the front and made every pole a winning one in winning the second division that carried a purse of $24,336. Brandon’s Cowboy stopped the timer in 1:50.3 and only two ticks off the track and world record of Third Straight.

Trained by Mark Ford, Brandon’s Cowboy got to the opening quarter in 27 seconds, half in 55.4 and three-quarters in 1:22.3 before winning by eight lengths over Hop Sing (Herve Filion) with third-place going to The Preacher Pan (Dave Palone).

This was the seventh win in 13 starts for Brandon’s Cowboy, owned by Martin Scharf of Lawrence, N.Y.

Napolitano, Jr., won three of the five stakes races with Palone winning the other two. Leading driver and trainer at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack, Napolitano, Jr., also was in the sulky with stakes victors Casey’s Bonanza and Skydancer Hanover.

Casey’s Bonanza was a wire-to-wire victor from the three post, getting to the opening quarter in 29.1, half in 56.2 and three-quarters in 1:23.3.

Basil Hanover (W. Mike Wilder) was second to Casey’s Bonanza with third going to Mauro Hanover (Palone).

Mark Harder trains Casey’s Bonanza, a winner of six of 16 starts this year while the owners are Brian Nixon of New York and Aubrey Friedman of Ontario.

Napolitano, Jr., captured the final division with Skydancer Hanover, another wire-to-wire stakes winner with the timer reading 1:52. Fractions in this race were 27, 56.1 and 1:23.1.

Casey’s Bonanza also is trained by Harder. Second to Skydancer Hanover was Up Front Brad (Palone). Third went to Santastic’s Pan (W. Mike Wilder).

Chris Oakes of Pennsylvania, George Alter and William Kenyon own Skydancer Hanover, a winner of seven of 10 starts this season.

Palone won the open division with Marchand, trained by Brendan Johnson and owned by J. Paul Reddam of Irvine, Calif. Marchand paced the mile in 1:51 and took the lead after the opening panel was rattled off in 27.2.

You Rock (Brian Zendt) was second to Marchand with third going to Western Prince (Sean Bier).

Mypanmar, trained by Ivan Sugg and owned by Peter Pan Stables, Inc., Pepper Pike, Ohio, was the second winner piloted by Palone. Mypanmar overcame the eight post and edged out Just Wave Hello (Bier) and Great Plains (Ed Lohmeyer) in a photo finish.

Time of this race was 1:52. Mypanmar was winning for the fifth time in 11 tries in 2004.