Two-year-olds were in the spotlight in three $22,222 feature contests during the week-closing card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The one pacing event was for males, and it was taken by the Papi Rob Hanover-Barefootnpregnant gelding Barefoot Papi ($9.80), who lowered his mark to 1:53.4 for trainer Richard Dunn, co-owner with MBC Stables LLC. Ridge Warren rode in the three-hole until the far turn then popped outside with his freshman, and Barefoot Papi had enough to forge to the lead then hold off The Tile Guy (Simon Allard), who backed out behind him from the pocket then moved further wide, by a head. Pacesetter and favourite Riverranch Miki (Anthony Napolitano) was just three-quarters of a length from taking it all in third. Barefoot Papi won for the second time in nine outings.

Åke Svanstedt overcame the outside post eight with the favoured Greenshoe-Baptism trotting filly Eternal Light ($2.80), setting all the pace to achieve her first lifetime victory in six starts in 1:57.1. Svanstedt drove and trains the winner, and his Åke Svanstedt Inc. shares ownership of the filly with Double S Stables LLC. Barbie Barbie Shf (Tyler Buter) was 2-1/2 lengths back in second, with El Pandora (Bruce Clarke) third.

In the top trot for males, the International Moni-What A Dame gelding Bel Ragazzo ($7.40), the early leader, was able to retuck in the pocket behind the backstretch sweeper Celebrity Tequila (Brian Sears). He then produced a third move late to beat that rival by a half-length and take a maiden mark of 1:58.1 in his ninth start for driver George Napolitano Jr. and trainer-owner D.R. Ackerman. Years In Makin As (Simon Allard) completed the top three.

Ridge Warren topped all horsemen on the 14-race card with three victories: the win in the freshman pace, the fastest mile of the day (1:49.3) with the Sweet Lou-Running On Faith gelding Jolimont N in his third U.S. start, and the biggest-priced winner of the day ($137.60) with the trotter Chaprow. Both of the Napolitano brothers, Anthony and George Jr., matched meet leader Tyler Buter and James Kennedy at two winning steers each.

Racing resumes at Pocono on Saturday at 1 p.m., with a $21,000 USD featured pace joining with carryover pools in the Pick 5 (fifth race) and Hi-5 (last race) pools. Then comes the big freshman Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship card on Monday at 1 p.m., with most of the attention likely to focus on the much-anticipated battle of the two undefeated pacing colts – Shalom Hanover, who drew the inside drew post one, and archrival Starstruck Dreamer, who has the outside post eight.

(PHHA/Pocono; photo of Barefoot Papi winning on Sept. 1)