from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Pennsylvania-sired 2-year-old trotting fillies will provide the early-week features at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with $160,000 of Stallion Series action spread over eight divisions this Tuesday (July 21) evening, and $247,844 up for grabs in four sections of the Sire Stakes on Wednesday (July 22) night.

In the Stallion Series, trainer Charlie Norris looks to have two fillies that may be headed on to better things: Synonymous Hanover (race four, post five), who seemed to like trotting hobbles when she qualified with them in 1:57.4 at Pocono recently, and LOL Hanover (race six, post one), who debuted with a 1:57.3 win in the first leg of the Stallion Series at The Meadows.

The fastest Meadows Stallion winner, Lady Athens with a 1:57.1 score, should also make her presence felt, starting from post one in race 10 for trainer Rich Gillock.

All six divisional winners of the Sire Stakes event at The Meadows will be competing at Pocono on Wednesday night, with the 12th race final division probably being the marquee matchup, as it gathers three winners, all of whom are undefeated in their brief careers.

Windowshopper (1:56.2 at The Meadows) starts from the rail for trainer Ray Schnittker; Womans Will (1:56.1) begins from runway three for conditioner Julie Miller’s Team Orange Crush; and Broadway Donna (1:56), out of a dam who is a full sister to world champion (at this track) Cooler Schooner, begins from post six under Jim Campbell’s supervision.

The fastest of the sextet of western PA winners, Whitelake Hanover (1:55.4), starts from post three in the eighth race division, with Fred Grant taking over the training chores on this filly for the first time.

Each of the other two divisions has one of the two other winners, who contrasted markedly in luck at the post position draw: Sunset Glider (1:57) has to start from the outside post seven in the 10th race for Team Takter, while Lookin Sharp (1:57.3) has post one in the 11th race for trainer John Butenschoen.

Finishing Lines: The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono honored its leading driver, George Napolitano Jr., with winner’s circle ceremonies this past Saturday, after he had captured the 7,000th driving victory of his career earlier in the week at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Napolitano currently has eight dashwinning titles at the Downs, which ties him with Bill Lambertus’ all-time mark, and should break the tie with “Lambo” at the end of the 2015 meet. Ironically, GNap’s 6,987th victory was behind a horse named Celebrity Lambo.