by PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Last Sunday The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono showcased the early season’s precocious freshman pacing colts in Pennsylvania All-Stars action, with many impressive winners looking like stars of the near future.

On Monday (July 9), the 2-year-old colt trotters will have the same opportunity, going in six $30,000 divisions of their All-Stars event. Most of the top stables all have multiple candidates for stakes glory. For instance trainer Marcus Melander has four entrants, while barns with three starters include those of Chris Beaver, Ron Burke and Erv Miller.

The two season’s leaders on five-eighths mile tracks at 1:57 are in consecutive races. One is Heavensdor Hanover, who in race three will start from post four for trainer Wayne Givens and driver Victor Kirby. He recorded his 1:57 mark in a Pocono 2-year-old event on the engine, with a 57 last half. Heavensdor Hanover will find a tough opponent to his immediate left in Fashion Possessed (trainer Jim Campbell and driver David Miller), who is undefeated in two early races.

The other 1:57 performer has the inappropriate name of Klutzy (post three, trainer Julie Miller, driver Andy Miller), who achieved his mark in a pari-mutuel contest at Harrah’s Philadelphia. From the rail in this heat is Green Manalishi S (post one, trainer Marcus Melander, driver Brian Sears), who already has victories in 1:57 then 1:56.3 in Meadowlands freshman a.m. outings.

The fastest 2-year-old trotting colt overall is Don’t Let’em, going from post three in the 10th race for trainer Jimmy Takter and driver Yannick Gingras, He posted a 1:55 clocking in his very first charted line, an Meadowlands 2-year-old contest,and since has come back to tally in a purse race in 1:55.1 . He will face three other opponents who already have been twice first.

The six divisions, which feature 11 freshmen who already show a winning line better than 2:00, will be races one through five and race 10 on the Monday card, which starts at 7 p.m.