by John Zimich, publicity director, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

Wilkes-Barre, PA — They’ll be pacing and trotting Tuesday night (March 23) as the 2010 live harness racing season opens at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

In what promises to a monumental and historic year at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack, the 136-day meet will run through November 13.

The live action will be taking place on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights during the months of March, April and May. Post time is 6:30 p.m. There’s a “twist” in this year’s schedule as Monday nights will replace Friday evenings during the months of June, July and August before reverting back to Fridays.

Highlighting the 2010 season will be the Breeders Crown, set for Saturday night, October 9. This will mark the first time in the history of the Breeders Crown that all 12 races will be contested on a single night’s card. Total purses will be $7 million.

As has been the case the past several years, top drivers, trainers and horses will be competing here on a nightly basis. Jim Morrill, Jr., last year’s top percentage driver, and Joe Pavia, Jr., who won the driving championship by wins, will be returning to defend their titles.

A new young “gunslinger” is Matt Kakaley, who will be trying his hand for the first time as a catch driver at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Kakaley, who recently turned 22, became the youngest driver in harness racing history to reach 1,000 victories in 2009. He did it in a four-year stretch. Kakaley will be doing a lot of driving for North America’s leading trainer Ron Burke while at the Wilkes-Barre area oval. He also hopes he can catch the attention of other trainers while here.

Last season, nine drivers earned more than $1 million in purses, including Pavia and Morrill, who went over the $2 million mark, while Andrew McCarthy, Anthony and George Napolitano, Jr., Mike Simons, Tom Jackson, Larry Stalbaum and Greg Grismore surpassed the $1 million mark. All are expected back for another season.

David Miller, one of the top catch drivers in North America, will be here on Tuesday night and will be competing in several races. He’ll have favorite K Slater, a 3-year-old gelding pacer conditioned by Tom Fanning, in the second race of the 14-race card. K Slater has two second-place finishes and two third-place finishes in five starts at the Meadowlands this season, just missing in his last start March 10 with a time of 1:52.4. Last quarter in that race for K Slater was timed at :27.2. Miller and K Slater will leave from the No. 6 post.