When the final Breeders Crown race of the night concluded last Saturday at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs all eyes of the crowd estimated at 10,000 turned to the winner’s circle
.
It was there John Zimich, director of publicity for racing at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, would be announcing the winner of a 2010 Corvette Convertible worth more than $70,000. The winning name was drawn from the several thousands of entries in a contest that began Kentucky Derby Day in May.
Ken Wallace Jr., of Valley Chevrolet, the car dealer that served as a sponsor of the car along with Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association (PHHA), picked out the winning name and it was Patricia Bohner of Kunklestown, a regular patron at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack. Bohner, in her mid-50s, came running down to the winner’s circle to accept the car. Needlessly to say, she was quite excited.
“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it, she said upon entering the winner’s circle. “Is this a dream?”
Bohner said she never won anything of this kind in her life and was down to her last $20 when she heard her name called out.
“I love this place [Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs],” she offered.
Actually, Bohner is lucky to be alive today as she survived a brutal knife attack at her home in Ross Township in the Poconos in late August of 2009.
The Kunklestown woman got into an argument with her tenant after he had been drinking. It started over his swearing and led to the knife attack. Bohner had her outer jugular vein and arm slashed during the scuffle and began bleeding profusely.
She underwent 12 hours of surgery and doctors saved her life.
(Pocono Downs)