from the PHHA/Pocono

Wilkes-Barre, PA — The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono held its annual press conference in the track’s clubhouse on Thursday afternoon (March 15), ahead of the track’s 2018 opening night Saturday (March 17).

Tony Carlucci, the president/GM of the Mohegan Sun complex, said he was anticipating a great season of racing and noted “that when the racing is not here, the facility just doesn’t seem as ‘alive’ — racing is a very important entertainment part of Mohegan Sun.”

He also noted that this second year of Mohegan Sun Pocono stewardship was an improvement over his first in one respect: “On March 15 last year, we had 30 inches of snow, so the dusting you see in the infield of the track is really nothing!”

Dale Rapson, vice-president in charge of the racing operations at The Downs, noted that this was his 39th year working at the northeast Pennsylvania facility. He spoke of the excitement of October’s Breeders Crown championships, and had special praise for the press of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area: “Other tracks marvel at the cooperation from the media that we get, and we thank you for your service to the community in keeping them informed about Pocono” — and the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association: “At many tracks, the track operator and the horsemen are often in an adversarial position, but that has definitely not been the case here at Pocono, and to the positive side for both of us.”

The PHHA had a large delegation at the luncheon, headed by President Sam Beegle.

Hall of Famer John Campbell, in his first full year of administration for the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown, handled microphone duties like the seasoned pro that he is through his many years of cooperation with the press as a driver, noting, “This is the third time the Breeders Crown has come to Pocono: 2010 was a great experience, and in 2013 the night was an even greater success. Nominations are up this year, and we come back to what is recognized as one of the best racing surfaces in the world, so we look forward to doing even better on Breeders Crown Night 2018 at Pocono.”

Ticket information and seating/dining arrangements for the Oct. 27 Crown championship night will be announced in early summer.

An impressive video highlight montage of the 2017 season was shown to the large gathering in the clubhouse, with the focus on many of the track’s top horsemen. Among those in attendance on Wednesday was Marcus Miller, proud father of 10-day-old Magnus Miller, who was there getting an early taste of riding in a wheeled vehicle.

Another Pocono horseman in the top ranks of the driving colony, Matt Kakaley, was scheduled to attend, but unfortunately he now has to recover from injuries suffered in a Tuesday racing accident at Yonkers, and the entire Pocono community wishes him a quick and safe return to racing.