On a sunny Monday afternoon (Sept. 2) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, favourite Royal Emeralds sparkled as she won the $20,270 featured trot in 1:56.2.

Jim Pantaleano ceded the early lead to second choice Party Of Seven, then moved the Greenshoe sophomore filly to the lead in front of the stands. In the stretch, the contest boiled down to these two, with Royal Emeralds maintained an advantage of half a length at the wire for trainer Megan Scran and the ownership of Jeffrey Northcott and Richard MacPherson.

Anthony Napolitano won the last three races on the card to be the leading driver of the day at The Downs with four successes.

Tuesday’s (Sept. 3) 1 p.m. card concludes the racing week at Pocono, but there will be big excitement at The Downs before that card is raced, as on Tuesday morning the fields for the $1.2 million USD Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships and consolations for three-year-olds, to be held this coming Monday, Sept. 9, will be assembled from among the highest pointwinners during the preliminary races for the four sophomore sectors. 

(PHHA / Pocono Downs)