by Jennifer Starr, for Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

Wilkes-Barre, PA — On Tuesday morning (March 1) at 8 a.m., the once-quiet stables at the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono were filled with the sounds of hooves and whinnies, as the stables officially opened for the 2016 racing season.

Pocono photo

Ernest “Bucky” Angle and William Mullin were the first horsemen on the property Tuesday morning.

Veteran horsemen William “Billy” Mullin and Ernest “Bucky” Angle were the first horsemen making their way down the steep incline to the stable gate with their precious cargo.

Billy’s trailer had Miss Marlene, Stir Crazy Hanover, Amicus, Reining Black Swan, Sonny For All and Swan Princess. Bucky unloaded Twin B Elite, Yankee Devil and the very vocal Teacher’s Vet, who was busily checking out her surroundings and posing for photos.

Stall applications are being taken for the stables at https://myhorsemen.mohegansunpocono.com.

Special rates are available to reserve your stalls. Those reserving 10 stalls will receive each additional stall at half off, and will receive preference for being stabled at Pocono.

The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono stable area features an excellent training track; tack shop and farriers; two veterinary clinics; laundry facilities; and a secure area with a guard on the premises 24 hours a day. Entry is with a license only. The stable area is minutes from major interstate highways.

Racing opens for the season at the renowned five-eighths-mile track on Saturday (March 19). Three dates have been set aside for qualifiers — Tuesday (March 8), Wednesday (March 9) and Wednesday (March 16).