Wilkes-Barre, PA — Three $15,000 races for developing horses were the featured events over a sloppy track on Tuesday (March 5) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

The Googoo Gaagaa gelding Bur Bun, who had done well near the end of the Harrah’s Philadelphia meet last year but then tailed off in two 2024 starts in Maryland, enjoyed his return to the Keystone State, taking a new mark of 1:55.3 despite the off going in the headlining trot. Braxten Boyd, who drove four winners on the day, sent Bur Bun down the road from the rail and was never headed, withstanding pockets itter I Cant Refuse by 1-1/2 lengths for owner-trainer Howard Birney.

Bur Bun braved sloppy going and took a new mark of 1:55.3 in the Tuesday trotting feature at Pocono. Curtis Salonick photo.

In the featured pace for horses, colts and geldings, Tennessee Smooth bided his time in third until the three-quarters, then charged a half length in front of pacesetter El Yerno and lowered his mark to 1:53.2. Boyd drove the Well Said gelding to his 14th win in 32 lifetime starts for trainer Brandy Wine and the ownership of Brett Boyd Racing Inc. and Geoffrey Howles.

Lady Chrislyn, a daughter of Big Jim who had been closing well against the best distaffers at Monticello, needed every inch of the Pocono stretch to win the top event for female pacers in a lifetime mark of 1:56 for trainer Robert Lounsbury and owner David Del Pezzo. Tyler Buter, who also guided a quartet of winners, set the mare up with a second-over trip as pacesetter Exciting Times A and the first-over Racing For Royalty engaged in a protracted duel, then just got her nose to the wire first.

Racing at Pocono resumes on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.; there will be six $17,500 second-leg divisions of a Game Of Claims series, with the base tag elevated slightly to $27,500. All six winners in the first leg are back in for more GOC action Saturday – three will meet in race nine, two face off in race 12, and the other will be in the card’s opener. Free Pocono programs are or will be available at the PHHA website.