Dame Good Time equalled the world record for older trotting geldings on a five-eighths-mile track with a tremendous 1:50.2 victory in the $38,194 Winners-Over Handicap Trot at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Tuesday, June 9.

Ridge Warren was in the right place at the right time, and thus he got to drive the five-year-old to the record performance. Originally, Dame Good Time’s trainer Nick Devita had named Pocono’s leading driver Tyler Buter to handle the Chapter Seven-Dame Du Lac gelding, as Buter had qualified him twice at Pocono, but Buter went with the millionaire Ari Ferrari J. Then at scratch time Andy Miller was named, as he had driven the gelding to two recent top-drawer victories at Harrah's Philadelphia, but Miller and Team Orange Crush had seven babies in to go during a marathon morning qualifying session at Philly (of which they won four), knocking his timetable askew.

So Warren got the drive behind the extremely sharp trotter, and from post five he settled him third as Ari Ferrari J set fractions of :26.4 and :55. Warren right-lined the trotter in the backstretch, and the horse responded with a :27 quarter to clear to the lead just after a 1:22.2 three-quarters, then had no trouble in maintaining a safe margin home for owner John Cummins. He crossed the line 2-1/2 lengths ahead of Ari Ferrari J, with Southwind Arturo (Anthony Napolitano) third.

The 1:50.2 clocking matched the world standard first set by Hillexotic at Harrah's Philadelphia in 2023 and then equalled at Scioto twice last year, first by Prince Of Honor and then by Oh Look Magic. The 1:50.2 also lowered the local divisional standard set by Sevruga in 2013 by a tick.

Dame Good Time is three-for-four this season, with his only defeat in the Maxie Lee Invitational at Philly. He has won 11 of 34 career starts. He paid $4.20 to win.

Sub-featured were two $21,528 conditioned trots for developing horses, the quicker going to the four-year-old Walner-Dark As A Pocket gelding Night Phantom ($4.40) in 1:53.2, a new mark. It had been 654 days since Night Phantom last won (Aug. 24, 2024, when he was two), but he had been a good second to the sharp Duicinea Hanover in his first start for trainer Anthony Faulkner and owner Jaypaul Hoover, and after driver Matt Kakaley made an early move to the front with the “Phantom,” the issue was never in doubt. He came home an 8-1/2-length winner over the rallying Mr Pasadena (Braxten Boyd), with Tagalong (James Kennedy) in third.

The other subfeature section also was won by driver Kakaley, as the four-year-old Greenshoe-Firm To Stay mare Saints Preserve Us set a new mark of 1:55 while returning the longest price of the day, $16.40. Kalaley combined skill with luck behind the Tom Fanning-trained and Joseph Smith-owned trotter as he saved ground and then got an opening when the pocket horse broke late on the far turn, giving them room to use the famous Pocono Pike. The short route was enough for Saints Preserve Us to hang a nose decision on the fast-closing favourite Dame On (Tyler Buter), a full brother to the new world champion Dame Good Time. Dusty Dungarees (James Kennedy) was third.

The top $20,833 event for claiming handicap trotters was won by the seven-year-old Walner-Take The Money gelding Abruzzo. He was powerful for driver Simon Allard and trainer-owner Mark Akins in a 1:51.4 victory that both gave him a new speed badge and briefly tied him as fastest trotter of the year at Pocono with Southwind Arturo and Endurance. Unfortunately, the story didn’t end there: first Abruzzo was claimed for $34,722 and goes to a new home, and then 37 minutes later Dame Good Time’s race lowered the local seasonal trot mark.

Matt Kakaley drove three winners on the 12-race Tuesday program. Braxten Boyd and Ridge Warren had two, while no trainer tallied more than once.

After 14 baby races on Wednesday at Pocono, the pari-mutuel schedule resumes on Saturday at 1 p.m., with the $20,000 USD featured pace topped by Another C Note, a three-time Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner and undefeated in seven starts this year. Eligibility prevented him from heading to the North America Cup, so he’ll prepare for future battles here on Saturday. Also on the Saturday card is driver Brett Beckwith, still eighth in the Pocono win standings despite not competing here since his racing injury on April 12 – he’s down to drive in nine of the 10 races.

(With files from PHHA/Pocono)