Two-year-old trotters are not regarded as the safest of bets, but all three favourites got the job done in the first freshman stakes contests of the year at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, the $42,857 divisions of the the Pennsylvania All-Stars for diamondgaited male rookies, on Saturday, July 4.

The Father Patrick–Me Too Baby colt Dream Shaq ($2.80) was the quickest of the three winners – and had the narrowest margin, defeating pacesetter Celebrity Hunter (Tyler Buter) by a head in 1:55.4 in his pari-mutuel bow. Dream Shaq was content to sit third behind fractions of :28.2, :57.4 and 1:27.2, then moved out on the final turn and trotted his own last split in :28 in defeating Celebrity Hunter in a long ding-dong stretch duel for trainer Marcus Melander and the ownership of Brixton Medical Inc. and Hatfield Stables. Captang (Matt Kakaley) was third. Dream Shaq was driven by Dexter Dunn, who made a cameo appearance at the mountain oval after starting his day driving in eight baby races in the morning at The Meadowlands. The reinsman then departed Pocono to return to the New Jersey track for the night's stakes action.

The International Moni–Dancin On The Wall gelding Lindy On The Wall ($2.80) now has four program lines – two qualifiers followed by two purse races – and they all end in a “1.” Andrew McCarthy got the fleet freshman to the top mid-first turn and rated him to fractions of :29.2, :59.1 and 1:28.2, and Lindy On The Wall tacked on a :28.1 kicker to lower his mark to 1:56.3 in the second division. Eddie Dennis trains the winner for E&K Stable Inc., William Mears and Roy Parker Jr. The Reason (Scott Zeron) was second by two lengths, followed by Inland Hanover (Matt Kakaley).

Red Storm Hanover ($3.20) opened the stakes action by leading for every step in his split, with the timer reading :29.2, :59.2, 1:28.2 and 1:57.1 for a maiden mark. Yannick Gingras drove the Captain Corey-Ready Any Time colt for trainer Ake Svanstedt, whose Ake Svanstedt Inc. co-owns the winner with M Biasuzzi Stable Inc. Capt Osborne (Tim Tetrick) was 5-3/4 lengths back in second, with Aspers Hanover (Steve Smith) third.

The “Happy Birthday, America” Mares Winners Over Handicap Pace, with a purse of $39,286, was taken by Sweetnikkilou A ($6.60) in 1:49.4. The six-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou-Nikkibadwagon sat fifth for Tyler Buter through :26.2 and :55 fractions, moved with cover to three-quarters in 1:22.2, swung wide off it, then nabbed pylon-shooter Rocket Deo (Bradley Chisholm) by a neck. Pacesetter Silk Cloud A (George Napolitano Jr.) was another three-quarters of a length behind. Nifty Norman conditions the game winner for Enzed Racing Stable Inc.

Driving doublers were Buter, Anthony Napolitano and Tim Tetrick.

Two-year-old trotting fillies will have their PA All-Stars event on Tuesday, July 14. On the upcoming Sunday 5 p.m. twilight card at Pocono, the hopefuls will have a final opportunity to develop before their stake in a $16,000 USD feature.

(PHHA/Pocono)