Sir Pinocchio, a gelded son of Mets Hall who trotted to more than $875,000 in earnings last year at three while winning several major stakes, made his 2025 debut a successful one at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Wednesday, April 9, winning a qualifier in 1:55.2 despite the mercury being barely above the freezing mark.

Sir Pinocchio won the MGM Yonkers Trot, New York Sire Stakes final, Matron Stakes and the Dexter Cup during his sophomore campaign in which he recorded a total of 11 victories for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Ed Hart and owner/breeder Carolyn Atherton. His 12-length qualifying win on Wednesday morning suggests he may be immediately ready to take on a high caliber of trotting foe.

Team Warren drove four of the eight Pocono qualifying winners on Wednesday. Ridge Warren, who has won more than 200 races in each of the last three years, many on the local scene, was home first three times in the morning's qualifiers, but his lifetime total of 1,630 victories leaves him a bit behind his father, Todd, a winner of 5,490 races who has come east after spending the virtually of his career campaigning in the midwest and who crossed the wire first in another qualifier.

(With files from PHHA/Pocono; photo of Sir Pinocchio winning last year at Pocono)