Wilkes-Barre, PA — With the 2-year-olds in the spotlight this coming week at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, contesting $1.4 million in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championships and consolations on Monday afternoon (Sept. 7), it seems appropriate that the end of this week’s local racing on Tuesday (Sept. 1) featured freshmen, in three $16,000 contests.
The one pacing event was for males, and it was taken by the Papi Rob Hanover-Barefoot’npregnant gelding Barefoot Papi, who lowered his mark to 1:53.4 for trainer Richard Dunn, co-owner with MBC Stables LLC. Ridge Warren rode in the three-hole until the far turn then popped outside with his baby, and Barefoot Papi had enough to forge to the lead then hold off The Tile Guy, who backed out behind him from the pocket then moved farther wide, by a head, with pacesetter and favorite Riverranch Miki just three-quarters of a length from taking it all.
Newly elected Hall of Famer Åke Svanstedt overcame the outside post 8 with the favored Greenshoe-Baptism trotting filly Eternal Light, setting all the pace and achieving her first lifetime victory in 1:57.1. Svanstedt drove and trains the winner, and his Åke Svanstedt Inc. shares ownership of the filly with Double S Stables LLC.
In the top trot for males, the International Moni-What A Dame gelding Bel Ragazzo, the early leader, tucked in the pocket behind the backstretch sweeper Celebrity Tequila then produced a third move late to beat “Tequila” by a half length to take a maiden mark of 1:58.1 for driver George Napolitano Jr. and owner/trainer D.R. Ackerman.
Ridge Warren topped all horsemen on the day with three victories: the win in the freshman pace; the fastest mile of the day (1:49.3), with the Sweet Lou gelding Jolimont N in only his third U.S. start; and the biggest-priced winner of the day ($137.60 with the trotter Chaprow). Both of the Napolitano brothers, Anthony and George Jr., matched meet leader Tyler Buter and James Kennedy at two winning steers each.
Racing at Pocono resumes on Saturday (Sept. 5) at 1 p.m., with a $21,000 featured pace joining with carryover pools in the Pick-5 (races 5-9) and Hi 5 (last race). Then comes the big freshman Sire Stakes Championship card on Monday at 1 p.m., with most of the attention likely to focus on the much-anticipated battle of two undefeated pacing colts: Shalom Hanover and Starstruck Dreamer.
Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.