Wilkes-Barre, PA — A trio of $15,000 feature races — two trotting handicaps and a pacing distaff contest, all for horses on the improve — headlined the Tuesday (Nov. 5) card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
The faster trotter came from the barn of Åke Svanstedt: the sophomore Walner filly Sister Diane, who was out and grinding for driver Ridge Warren from the half on her way to collaring pacesetter Kelly’s Greatest by a length in 1:55.1. Sister Diane, who took her mark of 1:54 earlier this year at Pocono, is owned by Stable Why Not in partnership with Åke Svanstedt Inc.
The other top event for diamond-gaited horses was won by the 3-year-old Cantab Hall gelding King Strait, who stopped the clock in 1:56.3 for driver Tyler Buter and trainer-owner Jill Roland. King Strait also overcame a first-up trip, which he did by trotting his own third quarter in :27.3 to clear to the lead by the far turn then dash off to a 2-3/4-length triumph over a shuffled Barn Credit. King Strait also set his mark of 1:56 at Pocono earlier in the year.
The female pacers in the spotlight were vanquished by the Always B Miki sophomore Twin B Empress, who in triumphing for the second straight time lowered her mark to 1:52.3. Tyler Buter moved the winner to the lead in front of the stands, then got a :56.1 back half out of her to finish 2-1/4 lengths ahead of favored She’s Got It for trainer Ron Burke and Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
George Napolitano Jr. scored three driving wins on the afternoon, which narrowed Matt Kakaley’s seasonal lead to 260-255, but there are only seven days left in the 2024 meet. Leading trainer Burke was the only conditioner to send out a pair of winners.
Pocono will race on a Saturday-Monday-Tuesday schedule until the meet concludes on Nov. 24, with first post each day 1 p.m. Saturday’s (Nov. 9) card will have the usual assortment of veteran fast-class performers and up-and-coming stock; there will also be a $1,950.21 carryover into the first-race superfecta. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.