The pacer Congressional and the trotter Asteroid proved the best in their respective $25,342 fast-class features on a sunny Saturday afternoon, Oct. 12 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

The ultra-consistent Always B Miki gelding Congressional, who has used his speed to work out many good trips in the top classes at Pocono, raced on the front end in the top pace, putting everybody in behind in a :26.4 opener, getting a breather to a :56 half, then following up with quarters of :27.2 and then :27.1 to ward off the prolonged first-over challenge of 53-1 almost-upsetter Lous Sweetrevenge by half a length in 1:50.3, with Nicholas Beach just edged for second from the two-hole. Unraced at two, Congressional has now earned $176,854     off a 2024 summary of 33-10-9-7 after also earning in six figures at three.

In the fast-class trot, the Creatine ridgling Asteroid moved to the lead after a :28 opener, put up middle fractions of :56.2 and 1:24.3, then left the field behind while in full control to the wire at the end of the 1:53 mile. The lightly-raced six-year-old has ability when on his game, as shown by his lifetime record of 15 wins in 40 starts and earnings of $346,009. George Napolitano Jr.,  top driver on the day with four successes, drove the talented trotter for trainer Jeff Cullipher and Pollack Racing LLC.

There were also four $23,288 events for up-and-coming horses, two on each gait. The quicker of the second-line paces went to the Heston Blue Chip colt Rush In, who took control early, then sped home in :54.3 with a :26.3 final quarter with nobody able to gain on him in the 1:51 mile. A six-time winner this season, Rush In was driven by Napolitano Jr. for trainer Linda Toscano and the partnership of Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, South Mountain Stables and Island Sun Stable.

In the other pace, the Captaintreacherous gelding Captain Up was settled in third early by driver Brad Irvine and sat in, found room up the inside late and came through steadily to equal his mark of 1:51.3. Laura Shock is the trainer and owner of the well-travelled winner, who came to Pocono from Running Aces via Lexington.

In what was on paper the tougher of the pair of sub-feature trots, favourite Dejerate Hanover, on an eight-race winning streak, made a break early, leaving the path clear for the E L Titan sophomore gelding Super Duper Cooper to win easily while lowering his mark to 1:54. Jason Bartlett quarter-moved with the three-year-old, recently second in his New York championship, and had no anxious moments thereafter in triumphing for trainer John Butenschoen while raising his lifetime earnings to $417,002 for Timothy Drag, James Crawford IV and Carl Austin Jr.

The other division went a tick faster at 1:53.4, and in an exciting stretch battle it was the Six Pack sophomore filly St Pauli Girl having the most trot on the money to edge Scotty Deo and pacesetting Diamante Hanover while taking a new mark. Ridge Warren handled the winner, moving to conditioned company from stakes action, for trainer/owner D.R. Ackerman.

John Calabrese rallied in time and Jacob Stillwell capitalized on a pocket ride to take their respective $13,514 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Trot..

Calabrese kicked home to a narrow victory with 7-1 shot Archibald in the first division, stopping the clock in 1:57.4.

Archibald settled to race third to the inside, tracking speed set by Puddin N Pie (driven by Tony Beltrami) and pocket-sitter Midnight Dreams (Joseph Skowyra). Puddin N Pie dealt with unrelenting pressure on the lead from a parked Snowman Hanover (Peter Gerry) despite leading through a tepid tempo of :29 and :58.2. Snowman Hanover began to falter from the wide trip into the backside as Gatsby (Steven Reisenweaver) swooped three wide from last to make a brief challenge for the lead passing three-quarters in 1:28. Through all the commotion, Archibald laid in wait. Once the outer tier retreated and a lane opened, Calabrese angled Archibald to the outside and surged forward to collar Puddin N Pie late in the mile and win by a head at the beam. Midnight Dreams settled for third and Everyones Talkin (Jacob Stillwell) saved ground to take fourth.

Symon Spicer trains Archibald, a 10-year-old gelding by Archangel, for owner Michael Sherman Jr. He paid $17.40 to win.

Stillwell found as smooth a path to the winner’s circle through a less eventful mile when hitting the line first with 8-1 shot Hurrikane Willie G in 1:57.3.

Ima Standup Guy (Joe Faraldo) fired from post 8 and took the lead from Hurrikane Willie G after a :28.1 first quarter. Once on the lead, Ima Standup Guy faced little abrasion from his competitors to a :57.4 half and 1:27.2 three-quarters, though Stillwell kept Hurrikane Willie G engaged from the pocket. Stillwell took his shot with Hurrikane Willie G spinning for home and pushed past Ima Standup Guy with ease to pull away to a 1-1/4-length win. Winning Muscle (Yogi Sheridan), the 3-5 favourite, made a mild first-over bid to take third and Big Nudge (Anthony Verruso) finished fourth.

Maria Reid trains Hurrikane Willie G, a six-year-old gelding by Donato Hanover, for owner Morrison Racing Stables. He paid $19.20 to win.

AHDC action continues with pacing divisions at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday (Oct. 13) and the next leg of the fall trotting series next Saturday (Oct. 19) at Pocono Downs

Pocono’s racing week continues on Monday and Tuesday with a 1 p.m. start. The Monday card will feature a carryover into the Pick 5 wager beginning with the fifth race. Saturday was a rough day in general for favourites for most of the card: in addition to the Pick 5 bet, three of the first six Superfectas, including the first two, went uncovered, causing immediate carryovers, and only a pair of the first 11 chalks paraded back to Victory Lane.

(PHHA / Pocono / AHDC; Photo of Congressional winning on Oct. 12)