Keg Stand and Global Pandemic were the winners in two $37,500 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for two-year-old trotting colts at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Monday afternoon, as the freshmen saw their first stakes action at the mountain oval in 2021.

Keg Stand, a colt by Bar Hopping–Palm Beach Bi, was kept just off the upfront action by Dexter Dunn as Big Miles gave way to S I P nearing the :28.1 quarter; Whiskey Hanover came out in front of the stands and took over the top before the :58.1 half. Dunn moved Keg Stand first-over and was in gear going to the 1:27.1 three-quarters, and through the stretch Keg Stand had too much while finishing his mile in 1:55.4 for a maiden mark. S I P rallied for second, 1-1/4 lengths behind Keg Stand, who is trained by Nancy Takter for Black Horse Racing, Christina Takter and John Fielding.

Keg Stand had been a closing third in his only other purse start, in a Tompkins-Geers stake; the horse who won that race, Global Pandemic, is now undefeated in two starts after clocking his All-Stars mile in 1:57.2. Big Ben Hanover set the pace with fractions of :28.3, :58.3 and 1:27.2; Yannick Gingras moved the successful son of Cantab Hall–Nicoles Promise uncovered from third down the backstretch, and in the lane drew away to finish four lengths ahead of the fraction-setter for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC along with Hatfield Stables.

On the 11-race Monday card, if it wasn’t a stakes race, chances were – literally – that driver Marcus Miller won it, as Miller paraded back five winners to Victory Lane, moving him into a tie for fourth with Tyler Buter in the local drivers’ standings.

(PHHA/Pocono)