Wilkes-Barre, PA — Why were Tuesday’s (Nov. 11) feature races at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania named the Winter Is Coming Trotting Series? Well, the day’s races at the mountain oval began at 30 degrees and had stiff winds, the mercury got all the way up to the freezing mark during the length of the afternoon, there were snow flurries at times, and the track was rated two seconds off the entire day.
Nonetheless, there was excellent trotting action spotlighted on the program, with the second and final preliminary round of the Winter Is Coming Series split into two $12,500 divisions.
Establishing himself as a strong contender for next Tuesday’s $20,000 series final was the Andover Hall gelding One After Nine, who was the only horse to win both of his prelims, here in 1:56.4 on the front by 2-1/2 lengths over another winner from last week, Tuis Angel. Jim Pantaleano guided the successful trotter for trainer Bucky Angle and owners Howard and Joshua Kaufman.
The other series winner Tuesday was Sainthood, who appeared to need a miracle racing on the far turn after being rimmed the whole way, uncovered from past the three-eighths, but the altered son of International Moni continued on to a 1:57 victory, 1-1/2 lengths ahead of Doc Nixon, who was last at the three-quarters and passed many horses late while out wide. Simon Allard drove Sainthood for trainer Joe Pavia Jr. and Bay Pond Racing Stable.
The $15,500 feature for horses looking to climb the class ladder went to the pacesetting Cantab Hall gelding Soncando, who won in 1:58.1 for trainer David Hoover and owner Jaypaul Hanover after entering the race winless in 22 starts on the year. Soncando was driven by George Napolitano Jr., who won five times on the day, thrice for trainer Robert Belcher.
Racing at Pocono resumes Saturday (Nov. 15) with a 1 p.m. first post and a carryover into the High-5 in the last race. Cards on Monday, Tuesday, and the following Saturday will ring down the curtain on the 2025 season at Pocono. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.