Wilkes-Barre, PA — There will be an open race on both gaits in the Great Northeast Open Series this weekend, one at each track (The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Harrah’s Philadelphia), with the purse in the Pocono trot upped to $75,000 as part of the giant Sun Stakes Saturday card.

In the Saturday (June 29) trot, 2017 Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover will try to get her season pointed in a consistently positive direction. In three starts this year, the daughter of Swan For All-High Sobriety, trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino, and J&T Silva Stables, has had one superlative race, a 1:50.3 win at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Hannelore Hanover will look to put it all together Saturday from post one for driver Yannick Gingras.

Having no such problems with recent form is the Explosive Matter-Wishful Me 4-year-old gelding Rich And Miserable, who Saturday will go after his seventh straight win. The Todd Buter trainee, owned by Buter Farm Inc., Lynette Buter, and William and Carol Fuhs, made the upgrade to this company with no problem on June 16, equaling his lifetime mark of 1:51.3. Rich And Miserable may have to go that much, or more, again to take this event as he starts from post five for driver Tyler Buter.

Such An Angel missed only a neck to Rich And Miserable in their last race, but his chances are made much more difficult by the post eight draw for trainer Hunter Oakes and driver Matt Kakaley.

Muscle Diamond, second and third in his series starts, could contend from post two for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Brett Bittle.

In Sunday’s $30,000 pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia, the 1-2 point leaders so far, Tiger Thompson N and Rodeo Rock, will be hoping to add to their totals in pursuit of a spot in their $100,000 series final at Pocono Sept. 9.

Tiger Thompson N begins from post five for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Joshua Parker, while Rodeo Rock returns to the track where he was second in the Commodore Barry Invitational on May 26, beginning here from post two for trainer Robert Cleary and driver Andrew McCarthy.

Proper One posted a 19-1 upset the last time this group was gathered at Harrah’s Philadelphia, closing to win in 1:49, and he will start from post one Sunday for driver David Miller and trainer Carlo Poliseno.