Wilkes-Barre, PA — Gem Quality, a Breeders Crown champion last year, prevailed in his 2024 debut on Saturday afternoon (May 11) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, winning one of four $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for 3-year-old male pacers.

The son of Captain Crunch produced the slowest winning time in the All-Stars, 1:53, but the early fractions were relatively dawdling (:27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.2), and he covered his own last half in :55, moving uncovered past the five-eighths to gain a short advantage by the top of the stretch. Gem Quality’s lead expanded to 1-3/4 lengths at the finish, with Timeisonmyside, who made a first-turn break, making up a lot of ground for second behind the Chris Ryder trainee, who was driven by Dexter Dunn for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, Brad Grant and Enviro Stables Ltd.

The other three All-Stars sections each went in 1:51.3, with Sweet Lou gaining two siring credits. Women Layer gave driver Todd McCarthy North American win No. 998, heading down the road in :26.4, :56.1 and 1:23.4 before equaling his lifetime mark a length to the good of Southwind Celsius. The Brett Pelling-conditioned gelding is undefeated in four sophomore starts for Howard Taylor, Order By Stable, Judith Taylor and Jerry Silva.

Sweet Lou is also the sire of Solid Character, who moved from the pocket on the far turn after Copperfield had laid down splits of :26.4, :55.2 and 1:23.1, then had his task made much easier when that rival lost stride. The gelding won by five lengths over Target Aquired while reducing his lifetime mark for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Robert Jackson, Timothy Sullivan and Tom Wilson.

Ivy Park also lowered his lifetime record in his seasonal debut, with the Captaintreacherous colt moving out before the :28 quarter and brushing to command, then putting up middle fractions of :56.2 and 1:23.3. Ivy Park was kept to business late as Armada Hanover made up a ton of stretch ground while weaving for clearance, only to end up a neck shy of the victorious Nancy Takter-trained sophomore owned by Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, Joe Sbrocco, and Nancy Takter & JAF Racing.

Chief Rocco authored the fastest trotting mile of the year to date at the mountain oval when he won a $17,000 contest in 1:52.4, setting a new life mark for driver Simon Allard and trainer-owner Mark Akins.

A trio of $15,000 paces for high-priced claiming horses top the Sunday (May 12) card at Pocono, which begins at 6 p.m. There will also be a $465.44 carryover into the Pick-5 wager, which begins in race five. Free Pocono programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.