Horses finishing sixth through tenth in Franklin final to divide $30,000
June 27, 2016,from the PHHA/Pocono
Wilkes-Barre, PA — The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association have announced that there will be $30,000 divided by order of finish among the horses finishing sixth through tenth in the Ben Franklin Free For All Pace Championship on this Saturday night’s (July 2) $2 million Sun Stakes Saturday card at The Downs.
There were three eliminations of the Franklin Pace this past Saturday night at The Downs, with the first three horses in each to move on to this Saturday’s rich championship. But Shamballa and Always At My Place finished in a dead-heat for third in their elimination, and the decision was made to go with a 10-horse field in the Franklin championship, with the standard nine horses on the gate and whoever drew post 10 starting as a trailer in the second tier.
The PHHA and Pocono jointly made the decision to have all starters receive some form of compensation in view of the unusual circumstances.
Here is the field for the Franklin championship, which will be race 11 on Saturday’s 14-race program: 1. Mel Mara, 2. Shamballa, 3. Wiggle It Jiggleit, 4. State Treasurer, 5. Sunfire Blue Chip, 6. Freaky Feet Pete, 7. Always B Miki, 8. All Bets Off, 9. Rock N’ Roll World, 10. Always At My Place.
- Two world records emerge from the Ben Franklin eliminations (Saturday, June 25, 2016)
Social media was abuzz when Wiggle It Jiggleit captured the first of three $30,000 Ben Franklin eliminations on Saturday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but the horse that many considered to be the star attraction was overshadowed by his two colleagues that triumphed in the two following divisions and establishes a contest in the $500,000 final on Saturday (July 2) that may very well be epic.
- Post positions drawn for Sun Stakes Saturday (Monday, June 27, 2016)
There will be more than $2 million on the line this Saturday evening (July 2) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on its Sun Stakes Saturday card, but while the races for the 3-year-olds will provide exciting contests and help provide early season pecking order, the main focus will be on one event.
- Tetrick on the Lynch and his other Sun Stakes starters (Tuesday, June 28, 2016)
Eight years ago, Ideal Newton won the James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female pacers. On Saturday, her sister Newborn Sassy will try to duplicate the feat. Newborn Sassy heads to the $300,000 Lynch Memorial at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono off a 1:51.3 win in her elimination last week and will start the final from post No. 3 with driver Tim Tetrick. Interestingly, it was Tetrick’s familiarity with Newborn Sassy’s family that led to CC Racing’s Ray Kusinski and Jo Ann Looney-King purchasing the then-yearling filly for $38,000 at the 2014 Lexington Selected Sale.
- Sun Stakes Saturday tops this week’s Grand Circuit schedule (Thursday, June 30, 2016)
The Grand Circuit spotlight will once again be on The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono this Saturday night (July 2) as the track will host four lucrative stakes finals.
- “It’s prove-it time” (Wednesday, June 29, 2016)
After last weekend’s three Ben Franklin Pace eliminations produced two of the three fastest miles in harness racing history on a five-eighths-mile track, horsemen and fans are anticipating an extraordinary encore in Saturday’s $500,000 final at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Five-year-old stallion Always B Miki won his Franklin elimination in 1:47, equaling Sweet Lou’s record for the fastest-ever mile on a five-eighths oval. Freaky Feet Pete followed with a 1:47.1 victory in his elim, setting the record for the fastest mile by a 4-year-old on a five-eighths track.
- From under the radar to Hempt favorite (Thursday, June 30, 2016)
Trainer Tony Alagna thought Racing Hill came into this year flying under the radar, but the colt is getting his share of attention now following a second-place finish in the North America Cup and a win in his Max C. Hempt Memorial elimination last weekend at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.Racing Hill is the 5-2 morning line favorite in Saturday’s (July 2) $500,000 Hempt final. The event, for 3-year-old pacers, is part of Pocono’s Sun Stakes Saturday card that also features the Ben Franklin for older pacers, Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters, and James M. Lynch Memorial for 3-year-old female trotters.