In last week’s first preliminary of the Game Of Claims Trotting Series (GOC) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, there were four divisions but five winners, as there was a dead-heat for first. One of the “1DH” horses, Pisces Rising, on Tuesday, May 12 became the only two-time winner to date in the trotting series with a 1:55 victory in one of five $21,918 divisions, with the base claiming tag this week raised to $34,247.

An altered five-year-old son of Father Patrick-Mazda Hanover, Pisces Rising paid immediate dividends after being haltered for $27,027 out of the first leg by owner Guy Gemore and trainer Richard Johnson. He went on the grind just off the second turn and trotted his own back half in :56.3 under the guidance of Todd McCarthy to ward off the horse on his back, second-over Songs In The Wind (Tyler Buter), another first-round winner, by a neck. Eugenio Rl It (Matt Kakaley) was third. Pisces Rising ($3.20) went back to his own stall after the race as well, as only two horses, neither of them winners, changed hands this week, although the total transfer amount was a hefty $77,055.

Todd McCarthy won another division of the GOC with the 10-year-old Wishing Stone-Luna Ostervang gelding Epos Ostervang Dk ($7.80), who didn’t race in the first leg and thus is undefeated in the series. “Epos” is conditioned by the meet’s leading trainer, Per Engblom, and he trotted the fastest of Tuesday’s divisions, a lifetime-best 1:54 for Engblom Farm LLC. Water Torpedo (Anthony Napolitano) was second by a half-length, followed by Lmc Wagon Wheel (Jim Pantaleano). Also skipping the first prelim but winning in the second was the five-year-old Mister Anson-Kaddy gelding Sir Maverick ($3.20), coming from Ohio and winning his second straight race by 4-1/4 lengths for owner Anastasia Meshkova. He was driven by Anthony Napolitano for new trainer Frank Calcagni. Golazo (George Napolitano Jr.) was second over Roger Rabbit (Ridge Warren).

Winning the third split was Abruzzo ($5.60), a seven-year-old Walner-Take The Money gelding who was second in the first leg and here a 1:54.2 winner by six lengths for driver Jim Pantaleano and trainer-owner David Hoover. Kameran Hanover (Ridge Warren) and Erin (James Kennedy) completed the ticket. The other series winner was The American Eagle ($7), a seven-year-old son of Trixton-Dorsay, who got the job done in 1:55.4 while a nose to the good of 32-1 shot Dusty Dungarees (Mark Herschberger) for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Herbert Lux III and owners William Mullin and Howard Taylor. Niccolo (James Kennedy) was third. The series’ final prelim will be held in seven days' time, with the $50,000 USD championship seven days after that.

Todd McCarthy and Anthony Napolitano recorded triples on the 14-race Tuesday card, while Braxten Boyd, meet leader Tyler Buter, and Ridge Warren notched doubles. Fourteen different trainers sent out winners.

Saturday promises to be a very big day at Pocono, with the 1 p.m. card spotlighting the three-year-old pacing male division in $231,205 USD of action spread over three Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) divisions and six Stallion Series sections. It figured that trainer Ron Burke would have a big hand in this division this year, and indeed he has four of the prime contenders – it is only a surprise that Another C Note, undefeated in five starts this year, would be the barn’s current “big horse” over Frantic Hanover, Al Papi, and Melillo, who have earned more than $1.8 million already in their careers. Respect must be accorded as well to Sneaky Squeaky, who, like Another C Note, is undefeated in five seasonal starts and won his first round PASS prelim. All five named horses will be in action Saturday.

(With files from PHHA/Pocono)