Followers of the high-class racing conducted at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, no matter their location, now have an important, informative tool that can be an aid to their handicapping, betting, and (hopefully) winning -– a complete set of chart comments on every one of the pari-mutuel races at Pocono.

The comments will be posted by Pocono Racing Marketing Manager Jennifer Starr several days before the normal seven-day cycle of racing would suggest a horse and his class would next be used. The comments can be found on the track’s website, in the Newsroom or in the Racing section next to the previous nights’ replays.

In the comments, veteran race observer Jerry Connors describes the race as it unfolds. Some races pretty much “tell their own story,” but other times the comments can help answer important-to-know questions such as:

► How wide was a horse during the (whatever distance) on the first turn?

► When did he start to make his move outside?

► Was his cover lively, or sluggish? Or was he uncovered?

► When did he go three- (or more) wide on the far turn?

► Was the horse locked in and shuffled back behind a tired foe?

► Did a horse have clearance in the stretch? If so, when was the clearance available?

Having this information gives a player the ability to “properly interpret” a horse’s race, and possibly alert him to a horse who is better on paper than he looks, and may be going off at too-generous odds by a public looking strictly at the program lines.

A better-informed player is one can put himself in position to take advantage of a potentially good payoff, or avoid a potentially “overbet” horse. This is why Pocono Downs, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, is pleased to offer this service to its public.

(PHHA / Pocono)