Wilkes-Barre, PA — The Encore Encore mare Striking Encore, caught late in this class last week, made amends on the Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 4) card at a soggy The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, controlling the pace in a 1:56.2 victory in the $12,800 featured trot.

George Napolitano Jr. had few anxious moments with the winner, who has now won three times in five starts since she joined up with trainer Gilbert Garcia-Herrera and owner Gilbert Garcia-Owen.

There was a quartet of $10,400 contests for 2-year-olds, one for each sex at both gaits.

On the trot, both winners posted 1:58.2 victories in the sloppy going: the Muscle Hill–Possessed By Lindy colt Lindysmusclemania, who won his debut for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Åke Svanstedt, and Stall Droad AB, and the Explosive Matter–Miss Michelle H filly Above The Clouds, who missed her mark by a fifth while triumphing for driver Corey Callahan, trainer John Butenschoen, and Bay Pond Racing Stable.

Among the freshman pacers, the Somebeachsomewhere–Lindy’s Nightmare filly Lindy At The Beach remained undefeated in three purse starts, being brushed to the lead in front of the stands by driver Scott Zeron and maintaining the advantage to the wire in 1:56.2, last quarter :28.1. The Domenico Cecere-trained miss is owned by Lindy Farms of Connecticut.

Zeron used similar tactics with the Captaintreacherous–Code One Hanover colt Crunch Hanover to gain a 1:53.1 victory. They brushed to the lead in front of the stands and remained clear of the closers. Crunch Hanover now has two overnight wins and a second and a third in the PA Sire Stakes on his record for trainer Linda Toscano and the ownership of Enviro Stables Ltd., South Mountain Stables, R-And-I Farms, and The Bay’s Stable.