Stirling Debutant, 1-for-25 in two seasons of racing entering the 2016 campaign, completed a clean sweep of the Bobby Weiss Trotting Series for distaffs at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, taking all four preliminary legs and then romping to a 1:57.3 victory over sloppy going in the $30,000 series Championship on Tuesday night to keep her seasonal record unblemished after those five starts.

Stirling Debutant tucked third late on the first turn, then was moved uncovered by red-hot driver Anthony Napolitano before the half to gain on runaway leader Coherent, a maiden who had had gaiting problems but showed no misbehaviour and much speed while posting an astounding :27.1 opening quarter over the off track, carrying on to the half in :56.4. But reality in the form of the 1-9 favourite set in late on the backstretch as Stirling Debutant cleared to the lead well before the three-quarter pole in 1:26.2, coasting home to win by 12-½ lengths over Squeals Of Delight, with Amorous Flirt, Coherent, and Baba Daba Do picking up the other cheques in that order.

The chalk players, who had wagered $5,165 of a $6,708 win pool and $6,139 of a $6,861 show pool on the favourite, had a few anxious moments after the race, as driver Marcus Miller made an objection against Anthony Napolitano and Stirling Debutant, claiming that they had caused his charge, Grandma Jans Gems, who finished sixth, to go off stride around turn one. If the objection had been allowed, the maintenance department may not have had enough light bulbs for the increased demand from the tote board (Squeals Of Delight 39-1, Amorous Flirt 41-1, Coherent 40-1, Baba Daba Do 60-1), but after reviewing replays the judges let the finish under the wire stand as official.

A four-year-old daughter of Credit Winner, Stirling Debutant had been trained by Christie Collins for owners J M F Racing LLC in the four prelims, but in the week before the final she was purchased by the combine of Randy Bendis, Thomas Pollack, Jack Piatt II, and R. Lewis Hauber, and transferred to the barn of former Downs training leader Steve Salerno. And whatever technique the old team found to turn around Stirling Debutant, it continued in the Weiss Final for her new connections.

Pocono’s next racing action will take place on Saturday; while the Thoroughbred world conducts its famous Kentucky Derby, Pocono will feature its only doubleheader program of the year. The first card of ten races is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.; the highlight of the sunshine racing will be three $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars race for state-sired three-year-old trotting colts, headed by last year’s two-year-old Sire Stakes champion, Lagerfeld, making his seasonal debut.

After the completion of the early card, the focus will go over to the runners until the Derby is conducted, and then a 14-race evening program will begin soon after the Derby is official, with an anticipated start of 7 p.m. Highlighting the night-time action will be the inaugural edition of two races for the best Pennsylvania-sired three-year-old pacers, the $561,500 Pennsylvania Classic for males and the $313,800 Miss Pennsylvania for females.

The fields for these two races were decided by elimination races held last Saturday, with an open post draw for the finals. Driver Yannick Gingras handled both Classic elim winners for trainer Ron Burke, and he chose to go with the faster elimination winner, Check Six (1:50.4, post four, 5-2), with David Miller picked to guide JK Will Power (1:51.1, post three, 3-1).

Also a highlight of the evening card is the $50,000 Van Rose Memorial Invitational Pace, named after the late local harness writer, which brings together some of harness’s best free-for-all pacers.

With final drivers and morning line odds announced today, here are the fields for the three Saturday night feature races (post – horse (driver) – morning line odds):

Race 6 -- $50,000 Van Rose Memorial Invitational Pace

1 – Take It Back Terry (Matt Kakaley) – 4-1
2 – P H Supercam (David Miller) – 6-1
3 – Hall Bro (Brett Miller) – 20-1
4 – Luck Be Withyou (George Napolitano Jr.) – 10-1
5 – JK Endofanera (Yannick Gingras) – 5-1
6 – Rockeyed Optimist (Tim Tetrick) – 3-1
7 – Cooperstown (Anthony Napolitano) – 12-1
8 – Bushwacker (Jim Morrill Jr.) – 15-1
9 – Bit Of A Legend N (Andrew McCarthy) – 5-2

Race 11 -- $313,800 Miss Pennsylvania Pace Final

1 – Ivy League (Yannick Gingras) – 6-1
2 – Newborn Sassy (Tim Tetrick) – 5-1
3 – Sail To The Beach (George Napolitano Jr.) – 12-1
4 – Darlinonthebeach (David Miller) – 5-2
5 – Call Me Queen Be (Scott Zeron) – 4-1
6 – Pure Country (Brett Miller) – 3-1
7 – I Said Please (Anthony Napolitano) – 15-1
8 – Save The Treasure (Jim Morrill Jr.) – 20-1
9 – I Said Diamonds (Matt Kakaley) – 10-1

Race 12 -- $561,5000 Pennsylvania Classic Pace Final

1 – Big Top Hanover (Matt Kakaley) – 4-1
2 – The Catamount Kid (Jody Jamieson) – 6-1
3 – JK Will Power (David Miller) – 3-1
4 – Check Six (Yannick Gingras) – 5-2
5 – Lyons Snyder (Scott Zeron) – 5-1
6 – Western Dynasty (Tim Tetrick) – 15-1
7 – JJ Flynn (Brett Miller) – 12-1
8 – Duke Of Delray (Andrew McCarthy) – 20-1
9 – Manhattan Beach (Jim Morrill Jr.) – 10-1

(Pocono Downs)