A trio of $20,833 feature races headlined the final card of the week at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Nov. 5 with two trotting handicaps and a pacing distaff contest, all for horses on the improve.
The faster trotter comes from the seemingly limitless roster of quality horses from the barn of Åke Svanstedt – that would be the Walner sophomore filly Sister Diane, who was out and grinding for driver Ridge Warren from the half and still managed to go past pacesetter Kellys Greatest by a length in 1:55.1. Sister Diane, who took her mark of 1:54 earlier this year at Pocono, is owned by Stable Why Not in partnership with Åke Svanstedt Inc.
The other top event for diamond-gaited horses was won by the Cantab Hall three-year-old gelding King Strait, who stopped the clock in 1:56.3 for driver Tyler Buter and trainer/owner Jill Roland, whose barn has been hot as of late. King Strait also had to overcome a first-up trip, which he did by trotting his own third quarter in :27.3 to clear to the lead by the far turn, then dash off to a 2-3/4-length triumph over a shuffled-back Barn Credit. King Strait also set his mark of 1:56 at Pocono earlier in the year.
The female pacers in the spotlight were vanquished by the Always B Miki sophomore Twin B Empress, who in triumphing for the second straight time lowered her mark to 1:52.3. Tyler Buter moved the winner to the lead in front of the stands, then got a :56.1 back half out of her to be 2-1/4 lengths ahead of favoured Shes Got It at the finish for trainer Ron Burke and Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi.
George Napolitano Jr. scored three sulky successes on the afternoon, which narrowed Matt Kakaley’s seasonal lead to 260-255, but there are only seven days left in the 2024 meet. Leading trainer Ron Burke was the only conditioner to send out a pair of winners.
Pocono will be racing on a Saturday-Monday-Tuesday basic schedule until 2024 closing day of Saturday, Nov. 24, with first post each day 1 p.m. Saturday’s card will have the usual assortment of veteran fast-class performers and up-and-coming stock. There will also be a carryover into the first race Superfecta pool.
(PHHA / Pocono)