Last year’s Breeders Crown champion Gem Quality made a successful 2024 debut on Saturday afternoon, May 11 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, winning one of four $41,096 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for three-year-old pacing males.

The North America Cup eligible son of Captain Crunch, whose crowning achievement was accomplished in 1:50 at Hoosier Park (pictured above), ironically produced the slowest winning time in the All-Stars, 1:53, but the early fractions were relatively dawdling (:27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.2), and he covered his own last half in :55, moving uncovered past the five-eighths to gain a short advantage by headstretch. That lead expanded to 1-3/4 lengths at the wire, with Timeisonmyside, who made a first-turn break, making up a lot of ground for the deuce behind the Chris Ryder trainee, who was driven by Dexter Dunn for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, Brad Grant and Enviro Stables Ltd.

The other three All-Stars sections each went in 1:51.3, with Sweet Lou gaining two siring credits.

Women Layer gave driver Todd McCarthy North American win No. 998, heading down the road in :26.4, :56.1 and 1:23.4, then equalling his mark while a length to the good of Southwind Celsius. The Brett Pelling-conditioned gelding is undefeated in four sophomore starts for Howard Taylor, Order By Stable, Judith Taylor and Jerry Silva.

Sweet Lou is also the sire of Solid Character, who moved from the pocket on the far turn after Copperfield had laid down splits of :26.4, :55.2 and 1:23.1, then had his task made much easier when that rival lost stride. The gelding won by five lengths over Target Aquired while reducing his lifetime mark for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Robert Jackson, Timothy Sullivan and Tom Wilson.

Another North America Cup eligible, Ivy Park also lowered his lifetime record in his seasonal debut, with the Captaintreacherous colt moving out before the :28 quarter and brushing to command, then putting up mid-fractions of :56.2 and 1:23.3. Ivy Park was kept to business late as Armada Hanover made up a tonne of stretch ground while weaving for clearance, only to be a neck shy of the victorious Nancy Takter-trained sophomore, owned by Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, Joe Sbrocco and Nancy Takter & JAF Racing.

Many of these “glamour division” horses will be back at Pocono in seven days time to contest Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series races.

Chief Rocco authored the fastest trotting mile of the year to date at the mountain oval when he won a $23,288 contest in 1:52.4. The Walner gelding made the most of getting in off the “also eligible list,” setting a new life mark for driver Simon Allard and trainer/owner Mark Akins

A trio of $15,000 USD paces for high-priced claiming horses top the Sunday card at Pocono, which begins at 6 p.m. There will also be a carryover into the Pick-5 wager that begins in race five. Free Pocono programs will be available at phha.org.

(With files from PHHA / Pocono)