Wilkes-Barre, PA — Highalator won at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Downs Hitman Hill in 1:49, to take a $30,000 division of the Great Northeast Open Series on Saturday night (June 8).

Highalator captures a Great northeast Series leg at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday night. Curtis Salonick photo.

Rick Still chose to tuck in third when I’m A Big Deal and Sports Column chose to argue early, with the former claiming the top by the :26.1 quarter. Highalator got little rest as Hitman Hill was out and going near turn two, forcing him to undertake first-over duties before the :54.4 half. Highalator rushed in :26.3 down the back to clear to the lead by the 1:21.2 three-quarters, but Hitman Hill was advancing and threatening through much of the lane, causing Highalator to dig deep to maintain a neck margin to the wire.

Highlator is trained by Jenny Bier, who is the co-owner of the winner of $409,028 with Joann Dombeck and Midsize Construction Inc.

Twin $21,500 co-featured events were carded. In the pace, the Rocknroll Hanover gelding Scott Rocks made two moves from the outside post eight and caught Nine Ways by a head to win in 1:50 for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Hunter Oakes, and the ownership of Northfork Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey. The winner of $895,674 now has a string of six straight years where he has won in 1:50 or faster over the mountain oval.

The Pocono seasonal standard for trotters was eclipsed for the second time on the night in that gait’s co-feature. The Explosive Matter gelding Rich And Miserable trotted strongly despite having to make two moves to stop the timer in 1:51.3.

Tyler Buter took both co-features among his four victories on the card with the $204,047 lifetime winner, sitting behind Rich And Miserable for trainer Todd Buter and the ownership of Buter Farm Inc., Lynette Buter, and William and Carol Fuhs.

Earlier, the Muscle Mass gelding Mass Production continued to make remarkable strides on the comeback trail by trotting the mile in 1:51.4, eclipsing Pappy Go Go’s former 2019 best here by a fifth for driver Simon Allard. An O’Brien Award winner at age 2, Mass Production was away from the track from June of 2017 to February of this year, but has won four of his last seven starts.

Four divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for 3-year-old trotting fillies headline the Sunday action at Pocono, with such stars as Millies Possesion, Asiago, The Ice Dutchess, and Beautiful Sin seeking to establish supremacy in their highly-competitive division.