from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Pennsylvania-sired 2-year-old colt pacers see the first action of their summer-long state series during the first part of the week at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with $160,000 divided among eight divisions of the first preliminary leg of the Stallion Series Tuesday (July 14) and Wednesday (July 15) featuring five sections of freshmen racing for $268,940 in Sire Stakes action.

The Stallion Series is intended for horses who are thought to possibly be not capable of competing at the highest level, giving them racing experience for good money and allowing them to “step up” if their developing talents warrant. There are as many “flash trainers” in the Stallion Series as there are in the Sire Stakes — Tony Alagna, Tom Cancelliere, Steve Elliott, Joe Holloway, Jimmy Takter, Linda Toscano — with Takter entering two colts who have already beaten 1:56, Settlemoir and Badstormanyport, not wanting to push the 2-year-olds beyond the level they are presently at.

For the Sire Stakes action Wednesday, all six divisional winners of the recent Pennsylvania All-Stars event will be back on hand at The Downs. The 11th race, the final of the five divisions, may be the highlight, as it matches three of the All-Star winners: the two co-fastest at 1:53 in Bank Shot Hanover (post one, trainer Daniel Renaud, driver George Napolitano Jr.) and Allie’s Cruiser (post seven, trainer Ron Burke, driver Matt Kakaley), along with 1:53.4 winner Mcdave (post six, trainer/father Erv and driver/son Marcus Miller).

Team Miller won half the six All-Star events; their other winners coming back are He’s Marvalous (race 3, post three, 1:53.3) and Ideal Jimmy (race four, post three, 1:54).

Trainer Ron Burke won another All-Stars division with Genovese in 1:53.2; that one starts from post two in race 10, with Matt Kakaley listed, where he will face the highly-regarded Canadian invader The Catamount Kid, who drew just outside him for the father/son team of trainer Carl and driver Jody Jamieson.

Pocono is now operating on a five-nights-a-week schedule, with racing on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, with a scheduled starting time of 6:30 p.m.