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

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Ginger And Fred, Kiss Me Kate, Pedigree Snob, Racing Star, Shanghai Lil and Warrawee Kay head up a field of top 3-year-old pacing fillies that will be converging on Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Saturday afternoon (May 30) for three elimination races in the 2009 James M. Lynch Memorial Pace.

The top three finishers in each of the races will be moving on to the $250,340 final on Saturday, June 6.

Ginger And Fred, a Real Artist filly trained by Ron Burke, has won her only start of the 2009 season with a five length victory in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division at the Meadows. She paced the mile in 1:52.4. Last season, Ginger And Fred, who drew the two post for Saturday’s first elimination race with Dave Palone in the sulky, won six of 13 starts and more than $175,000.

Also in the first elimination is Shanghai Lil, who will be leaving from the five hole. The Jenna’s Beach Boy filly is trained by Peter Foley and earned $229,212 in her freshman year of racing with four wins in nine starts and a 1:51.2 mark attained over the mile track at Lexington. Shanghai Lil, who will be driven by John Campbell, is coming into the race from the Meadowlands, where she recently finished third from the nine post with a time of 1:52.1.

Racing Star, trained by Jeffrey Stafford, was a third-place finisher in the 2008 Breeders Crown final for 2-year-old pacing fillies. She earned $277,120 in 2008. Racing Star, a Four Starzzz Shark filly, will be leaving from the seven post in the second elimination but will wear saddle pad No. 6. This will be her first start of the 2009 season. She is coming off a 1:55 qualifying win at Harrah’s Chester. Yannick Gingras will pilot Racing Star.

The second elimination will also have No. 5 Kiss Me Kate, trained by Jimmy Takter, leaving from the six hole in this eight-horse field. Kiss Me Kate, another Real Artist filly, is also coming off a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes victory at the Meadows. It was a wire-to-wire win from post seven with a time of 1:53.4. She also won a division of the Wilkes-Barre Pace at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on April 29 with a time of 1:53.2. Jason Bartlett will drive Kiss Me Kate.

The final elimination brings together Pedigree Snob and Warrawee Kay. Pedigree Snob, who never missed the board in 2008 with five wins, three seconds and one third in nine starts, with earnings of $384,571, will have a tough assignment in leaving from post eight. She had a 1:51.4 victory in the $431,500 Sweetheart Final at the Meadowlands last season. Chip Noble trains and drives Pedigree Snob, an Allamerican Native filly.

In 2008, Warrawee Kay won four of 10 starts and had earnings of $223,140. The Real Desire filly, trained by Mike Roth, established a new mark of 1:51.3 at Lexington. She has won all three of her qualifying races at Hoosier Park and will be making her first start of the 2009 season in a Lynch elimination race. Andrew McCarthy will be in the bike with Warrawee Kay.