Pocono Downs has sent out a recap of its 2009 season, and has also announced its racing schedule for 2010
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Pocono's 135-day meet concluded November 21.
For the first time in the 44-year history of the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack, nine drivers steered their mounts to more than $1 million in purse earnings, with two of them surpassing the $2 million mark.
Joe Pavia, Jr., who won his first-ever driving title at Pocono Downs with 251 wins, finished his season with $2,657,271, while Jim Morrill, Jr., who was runner-up and top Universal Driving Rating champion with a mark of .400, earned $2,504,756 in purses with 217 victories.
The other drivers that earned more than $1 million in purses included Andrew McCarthy (166 wins and $1,971,082), Anthony Napolitano (142 victories and $1,669,456), Mike Simons (136 wins and $1,607,378), Tom Jackson (118 victories and $1,516,277), George Napolitano, Jr. (109 wins and $1,054,992), Greg Grismore (82 wins and $1,101,247), and Larry Stalbaum (75 wins and $1,049,525).
The 2009 season was also was another milestone on the trainers' side, as three conditioners topped the $1 million mark in purses. They were leading trainer (in terms of wins and percentage) Chris Oakes (116 wins, $1,198,352), Carmine Fusco (106 wins, $1,231,336), and Ron Burke (88 victories, $1,544,951).
Pavia, Jr. finished fifth behind William Mullin in the trainer standings with 41 victories and $669,782 in purses.
Purses (overnight and stakes) in 2009 increased more than $10 million from $17,109,536 in 2008 to $27,319,779. There were 2,041 races conducted for the 135-day meet in 2009.
Horsemen’s bookkeeper Linda Segarra noted it was another record year for claims registered. She noted a total of $12,310,075 was meted out for 779 claims made during the season. Both are new claiming standards.
June 12 is a day that will be long be remembered in the history of the racetrack. At the time, two world three-year-old trot records were established during the contesting of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Caviar Crown (driven by Dave Palone) set the three-year-old colt world and track mark over a five-eighths mile oval with a time of 1:53.1. Later on in the card, Shermans Mountain (Morrill, Jr.) established the world and track mark for three-year-old trotting gelding, stopping the timer in 1:53.3.
It also was on this day when aged pacing gelding Asfarasyoucansee (Morrill, Jr.), set a new track mark for aged pacing geldings with a time of 1:48.4.
Four-year-old trotting mare Stage Show established a world and track mark on October 13 when she trotted a mile in 1:53.1 with Tom Jackson in the sulky.
Another pacing track record was set by four-year-old stallion Sailing Cruise (McCarthy) on July 10 with a time of 1:50.2.
Johnny Z, trained by George Teague, Jr. and driven by Brian Sears, won the richest race of the season at Pocono. Johnny Z was victorious in the $301,140 Max C. Hempt Memorial Pace for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The time of the mile was 1:51.3 with the track listed as 'sloppy.'
On the three-year-old distaff side, Yellow Diamond (Morrill, Jr.) won the $250,350 James M. Lynch Memorial Pace for three-year-old pacing fillies. Yellow Diamond just missed Southwind Tempo's stakes mark by one fifth of a second, winning in 1:49.4.
The racetrack hosted the Pennsylvania Championship Finals for three-year-olds on September 12 with a track listed as 'good.' Winners of those $200,000 races were Billie Bluechip (driven by Pavia, Jr. in the filly pace), Doubleshotofscotch (Morrill, Jr., colt and gelding pace), Caviar For The Lady (Charlie Norris, filly trot), and Salutation Hanover (Yannick Gingras, colt and gelding trot).
Four Starz Sue, a hard-hitting four-year-old gelding trained by Carmine Fusco, was named 2009 Pacer of the Year. Trotter of the Year honours were shared by All About Justice, five-year-old gelding trained by Gail Wrubel, and Grain Of Truth, an eight-year-old gelding trained by Ray Schnittker.
Claiming Pacer of the Year was the Ron Burke-trained Theredandpanlines, a four-year-old pacing gelding, while Claiming Trotter of the Year went to Twocarlane, a nine-year-old gelding trained mainly by John Wagner.
Nip N Attack, a five-year-old distaffer trained by Oakes, was named Mare of the Year. Johnny Z, the three-year-old male pacer, was chosen as Three-Year-Old Colt of the Year, while Billie Bluechip, trained by Pavia, Jr., was honoured as Three-year-old Filly of the Year.
The 135-day meet total handle was $36,431,523.07.
Pocono once again hosted the Mildred Williams Driving Challenge that featured female drivers that donated their purse earnings to the Susan G. Komen Foundation For The Cure, Northeast Affiliate. Track management and Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association teamed to donate $3,000 to the charity in its fight against breast cancer.
Billings Amateur Driving Series also made another stop at Pocono and featured a few divisions of the amateur drivers.
Pocono announces 2010 Harness Racing Schedule
The 2010 live harness racing season at Pocono will open March 23 and continue through November 13. The meet will consist of 136 racing days.
Live action will be taking place four days a week with a bit of a different twist. For the months of March, April and May, live racing will be conducted on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. First-race post time will be 6:30 p.m.
However, during the months of June, July and August, Friday evenings will be dropped with Monday evenings being added to the schedule. The final three months of the season will see a return of Friday nights with Mondays being dark
Only Saturday afternoon posts of 5:00 will be held on Triple Crown days on May 1, May 15 and June 5.
Pocono Downs will be hosting the 2010 Breeders Crown on Saturday, October 9. First-race post time for that day is to be determined.
(With files from Pocono)