Wilkes-Barre, PA — The Muscle Mass gelding Im The Muscle is in the process of regaining his top form, winning his second straight race on Sunday night (July 7) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and posting a mark of 1:53.4 in taking the $17,500 trotting feature.

Driver Simon Allard hustled the winner, trained by his brother Rene, to the lead before the :27.3 quarter, then yielded to early brusher Optimist Blue Chip, who set middle fractions of :56.4 and 1:25.1. Allard waited patiently for the Pocono Pike, then quickly got his trotter in gear, with the pair going by Optimist Blue Chip by three-quarters of a length for owner Rheau Vieu.

In a $17,000 co-featured trot, the Explosive Matter mare Pat Matters is now perfect in two starts under the care of trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman after a 1:53.4 triumph. Driver Marcus Miller directed the mare to the front by the :27.2 quarter, got a breather through a :57.1 half, geared up to battle the bid of first-over Max to a 1:25.4 three-quarters, then stepped home in :28 to keep off the resilient Max by a neck. The Patricia Stable owns the winner.

Driver Jim Marohn Jr. was unseated by his horse Draft Year during the post parade for race three, and was taken to the hospital. He was treated and released, and he is recuperating at home. The loose horse was caught by outrider Tia Shafer and returned to the paddock, and then scratched from the race.

Pocono had its second $100-plus paying winner in two nights, and third in six cards after not having had one since April 13, as Tom Jackson rallied P L Lester off a hot pace to win the night’s first event at a $137.00 mutuel for trainer Scott DiDomenico. After the first race toteboard fireworks, 11 favorites were victorious in the remaining 13 races on the card.

Tyler Buter and George Napolitano Jr. each won four races on Sunday at Pocono.