Wilkes-Barre, PA — Under perfect conditions Saturday (June 1) afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, the 2024 standard for pacing speed was first lowered and then that time was equaled, but it was a trotter who emerged as the fastest on his gait outright – the Cassis gelding On Higher Ground, who won the $16,500 fast-class trot in 1:52.

On Higher Ground posts the fastest local clocking of the year on the trot, 1:52, while winning at Pocono on Saturday. Curtis Salonick Photo

The career winner of $574,404 worked out a second-over trip after very fast fractions: favored Rich And Miserable moved to the front after the :28 quarter, led to the half in :56, then argued with first-over Herodotus to the 1:23.4 three-quarters, The latter took command after the pacesetter broke, but On Higher Ground avoided trouble and kept gaining, finally working past Herodotus by a half length in the nearly-symmetrical mile.

On Higher Ground was driven by Matt Kakaley, who had three wins on the day to George Napolitano Jr.’s two to tie him at 106 atop the drivers win column while being the only sulkysitter to win three times Saturday. Trained by Jenn Bongiorno, who succeeded twice on the day to tie the meet’s leading trainer Jeff Cullipher for the card’s conditioning honors, On Higher Ground is owned by JB Racing.

The pacing fast-class event fell to Big Skewy N, whose 1:49.1 time equaled the fastest pacing clocking of the local year. The Sportswriter gelding made a second move uncovered late backstretch in going after pacesetter Binge On Yankee, who hung up splits of :26.1, :54.1, and 1:22. Big Skewy N continued forward gamely and caught the leader by a nose while taking a new mark for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Scott Blackler, and Arrhythmic LLC.

Earlier 28-1 Da Delightful, a son of Bettor’s Delight, had closed from the clouds to post the first 1:49.1 of the meet in winning for driver Braxten Boyd and trainer/owner Mark Silva.

Top purse events on the program were a pair of $17,000 contests for developing horses. The faster winner was Black Magic, a son of Full Count who surmounted a very difficult two-move journey from the outside post seven to score in 1:52.2, just a fifth behind the mark he posted a week before in his 2024 bow. Linda Toscano is the trainer of the $394,494 earner for Richard Gutnick, Thomas Pontone, and Joseph Lozito Jr.

The other split of this event was taken by another horse having to overcome the outside post seven, the Swan For All gelding Energy Source, home after setting most of the pace in 1:54.2, a new mark, for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Lance Hudson, and owner William Hartt.

Sunday’s (June 2) racing, which will begin at 6 p.m., will be headed by a pair of $16,500 claiming handicap paces full of horses in good form – the average win rate in the lines of the two fields is 35%. There will also be a Pick-5 carryover for that wager, beginning in race five. The racing week then closes with Monday and Tuesday cards at 1 p.m. Free Pocono programs are available at www.phha.org.