Wilkes-Barre, PA — The opening of the stakes season for national-caliber Pennsylvania-sired stakes horses at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono begins this Saturday afternoon (May 8), with four divisions of a $120,000 Pennsylvania All-Stars event for 3-year-old colt pacers.

One Eight Hundred will look to regain his winning edge in Saturday’s Pennsylvania All-Stars event at The Downs. Curtis Salonick photo.

Looking to regain a bit of his early-season glamour is the Somebeachsomewhere colt One Eight Hundred, an $800,000 yearling purchase who startled fans with a 1:50.2 seasonal debut here on April 3, with a :26.1 last quarter, and then followed up with a 1:52 off-track win, making him the heavy favorite for his Weiss Series championship. But in the Weiss final on April 24, One Eight Hundred got locked in the pocket and badly shuffled, although he recovered to be beaten only two lengths in fifth.

Unraced since then, One Eight Hundred will be looking for a clear chance to exhibit his talent, starting from post seven in the field of eight for trainer Nancy Takter, who has put down Tim Tetrick for the driving assignment.

The two winners in the first preliminary leg of the PA Sire Stakes last week at The Meadows, Southwind Gendry (1:49.4) and Literl Lad Hanover (1:51.1), will not be competing in the All-Stars, although they are likely to be at Pocono on Sunday (May 16) for the second PaSS leg.

But there are plenty of other proven 3-year-olds joining One Eight Hundred Saturday — a second-place finisher and both third-place finishers in the Sire Stakes; three winners in the Stallion Series; both Weiss Consolation winners; and Always A Miki, in his seasonal debut after winning the Governor’s Cup at two. These youngsters and other swift colts and geldings should ensure fast, competitive races in the All-Stars events.

First post on an excellent 14-race card at Pocono on Saturday is 12:30 p.m. Program pages will be available at the PHHA website.