The spotlight was on distaff pacers on Monday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono as the mountain track commenced its basic fall schedule of live harness racing.

The $17,000 top pace for class-climbing fillies and mares went to the So Surreal mare Think Of Galaxies, who got a walk in the park to the half in :57.3 and then sprinted home in :55 - :27.1 to complete a mile in 1:52.3 over a track that had been rerated to “good +1” mid-card.

The track’s leading driver and trainer, Matt Kakaley and Ron Burke, combined behind Think Of Galaxies as she lifted her career earnings to $253,665 for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC along with Peter Kleinhans.

 Kakaley had a driving triple on Monday, as did Jim Pantaleano, who was behind the Betting Line mare Milieu Hanover as she controlled the pace en route to a 1:52 victory in the $14,500 co-feature. The winner of $242,378 is trained by Nicholas Devita for Devita Racing Stable Inc, David Hamm and Christopher Giaccio.

 From now to the end of the 2022 Pocono meet on Saturday, November 19, The Downs will host live racing on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday afternoons at 1:30 p.m.

(PHHA / Pocono)