Wilkes-Barre, PA – It was sixty years ago today that the harness horses began to play at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania – July 15, 1965 was the first day of racing ever at the Downs, and the tradition went into its seventh decade on Tuesday, with a $15,500 claiming handicap trot as the feature, as has been the case in recent months.
This particular classification has been prone to winning streaks all year, and that streak continued with the Tuesday victory of the Anders Bluestone gelding Jas Bluestone, who overcame the outside post to win in 1:53.4 for driver George Napolitano Jr. (a three-time winner to top the local sulky sitters), trainer Joe Pavia Jr., and owner Kathleen Napolitano. “Jas” has now won two straight and five of his last seven starts.
The late-developing Always B Miki gelding Laugh Shop took a mark of 1:50 in a “nw 2 races” pace, setting most of a quick tempo and then going free at the end. Braxten Boyd, of Madden Oaks fame, guided the winner for trainer Jill Wine and the ownership of Samuel Abdoo and Wine Stable.
Racing returns to Pocono on Saturday (July 19) for a 1 p.m. start; during the Sunday (July 20) 6 p.m. program there will be $232,266 in stakes action during the second prelim round of state-sired competition for freshman pacing fillies, with three Sire Stakes divisions and five sections of the Stallion Series. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.