by John Zimich, publicity director, Pocono Downs

Hot Rum, trained and driven by George Napolitano, Jr., captured the $12,000 open pace Sunday afternoon at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. This was last year’s leading trainer and driver’s third win of the afternoon. Hot Rum was winning for the third time in nine tries this year, pacing the mile in 1:52.

Richard M. Schwartz of Boca Raton, Fla., owns the seven-year-old Hot Rum.

Napolitano, Jr., sat third for the opening quarter behind Chewy Gross (Stephane Bouchard) and Village Hero N (Mike Simons) before making his move coming by the grandstand for the first time. Hot Rum seized the lead, getting to the half in 56.2 and three-quarters in 1:23.4 before holding off Chewy Gross.

Upscale Hanover, a four-year-old Western Ideal gelding owned by Frank J. Dettore, North Ridgeville, Ohio, earlier on the card had turned in the fastest time of the opening weekend of the 2006 harness racing season, stopping the timer in 1:52.1 Stephane Bouchard made a power move Upscale Hanover to assume the lead and hold off all challengers.

This was the second win in three tries in 2006 for the Mark Ford trained Upscale Hanover.

Mike Simons got the afternoon started by sweeping the Daily Double, a 2-2 combination that returned $909.80. Simons won the first race with Woodja Do Dat, paying $25.60 and came back in the second to pilot Armbro Claret, a 17-1 longshot that paid $36.00 for a $2 bet.

Simons collected his third win of the afternoon with 37-1 longshot Terry, trained by the veteran Jim Williard.