You don’t often see the words “Pocono Downs,” “February” and “1:49.2” in the same sentence; then again, you seldom can find the first two concepts and “14 degrees celsius” in one sentence, either.
Reaching that impressive time on Saturday, Feb. 28, just a tick off the fastest mile anywhere in North America in 2026, was the Sweet Lou-Pretty Katherine gelding Lou Hill, who won Pocono’s $37,671 Winners Over Pace by a neck over Catalpa Rescue A (Colin Kelly) in a second consecutive one-two finish for that pair. Last time, Lou Hill set the pace and resisted the late pocket thrust of his Aussie foe; this week, Lou Hill again made command early, then pushed Catalpa Rescue A past a :27 quarter before sitting in the golden chair behind middle splits of :54.4 and 1:22. Simon Allard popped Lou Hill, now a winner at a 35.7 per cent clip in his career, out for the drive, and the five-year-old gradually wore down the pacesetting chalk for trainer Per Engblom and owner Tom Hill. Captain Moore A (Brett Beckwith) was third. The winner is now 15-for-42 lifetime. He paid $9.40 to win.
The horse with the North America-leading 1:49.1 seasonal mark is Rockin Jukebox, who came to Pocono on Saturday off that mile at The Meadowlands and set the pace in a $27,397 conditioned pacing event but could not hold the advantage. That dash went to the Somebeachsomewhere-Higher And Higher gelding South Beach Star, who had to overcome an uncovered journey as the chalk but still held off the sweeper Vici (Jason Bartlett) by a head in 1:51.2. Braxten Boyd had sulky duties for trainer Mark Silva and owner All Star Racing Inc. Hunting Zone (Brett Beckwith) was third.
The co-featured $37,671 Winners Over Handicap Trot was won by the six-year-old Resolve-Sensual Hall gelding Resolve To Win and driver George Napolitano Jr. in 1:53.1. He equalled his own Pocono seasonal trot mark while catching his stablemate Super Duper Cooper (Brett Beckwith) by a neck after going to the front early in a :27.2 quarter, then tripping out in the two-hole behind his barnmate through :56.4 and 1:24.2 middle fractions. High Speed Swan (Colin Kelly) completed the ticket. Enrico Robinson trains and Pollack Racing LLC owns the both of the top two diamondgaiters. Resolve To Win is now 27-for-92 lifetime. He paid $11 to win.
The top-notch card also featured four $23,288 divisions of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series (GOC), which this week had the entrants base-tagged for $41,096. Two of the winners recorded a second victory in the GOC Series, and that pair will change barns as two of the six horses who were claimed just before next Saturday’s $35,000 USD Championship.
Greatest Ending ($5.20), who posted the co-fastest time of 1:51 and was the only series winner not to take a lifetime mark Saturday, will be coming out of a different barn for the third time in four starts, while Rum And Raisins ($8, 1:51.3) will be racing for his third straight set of new connections. Also successful in the last prelim, and not getting claimed, were Twiggs Pub ($17.80, 1:51) and Up The Creek ($5.80, 1:51.2).
Horsemen who posted doubles in the Saturday action were trainers Joe Bongiorno and Cote Keim and drivers Brett Beckwith, Colin Kelly, and the Napolitano brothers, Anthony and George Jr.
A fine field of female pacers has been assembled for the $27,500 USD Mares Winners Over Handicap Pace at The Downs on Monday afternoon. Post time for that card will be 1 p.m.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)