One sign of spring at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania is the appearance of promising three-year-olds preparing for the Bobby Weiss Series, an annual event for all divisions of sophomores that begins this year on Saturday, April 4. Another sign of a change in the fortunes with weather was the upswing in temperature that the mercury took during a marathon morning session at on Wednesday, March 25.
Each of the four sex and gait possibilities contest their own Weiss Series action. The Wednesday qualifying winners who were fastest in their divisions are highlighted below.
Trotting filly Nightcap Mearas S, a daughter of Walner out of Morningstar, was ready for her first charted line of the year, closing from third in the stretch to win in 1:58.1 for driver Andrew McCarthy and Snogarps Gard Inc. Her trainer is Nicklas Oestergaard-Andersen, a 30-year-old native of Denmark, and he was victorious in his first qualifying race as a trainer, at least on these shores.
Male trotter Acoustic Blue Chip, who has had some gait issues during his brief career, was on his best behaviour on Wednesday as the Devious Man-Tangible Blue Chip gelding made every pole a winning in 1:57 for multiple Pocono driving champion Matt Kakaley. Acoustic Blue Chip's stablemate for trainer Jared Bako and owners Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc., the stakes-placed Chapter Seven-Oh My Goodness filly Aviatrix Blue Chip, was second by 1-3/4 lengths with Tyler Buter in the bike.
Pacing filly Grazia was in fashionable form for her connections, sitting the two-hole until the far turn then going on to a 1:55.2 triumph. Jason Bartlett was in the sulky behind the unraced Huntsville-Ramalama miss for trainer Joe Pavia Jr. and owners Vincent Ferriero Jr., Pint Size Racing, Donald Kayser and Dominic Pavia.
Pacing colt Twin B Thriller, who won four of his six starts at two, was a winner in a qualifier last week and repeated here, proving a pocket rocket in 1:55 with a :27.3 final quarter. George Napolitano Jr. drove the Always B Miki-Twin B Captivating colt for trainer Dennis Laterza and the partnership of Ginko Stable Inc. and Latz A Luck Stable.
Another sophomore pacing colt generated the day’s fastest qualifier, although the accomplishments of Hunt Off The Press at two kept him out of the Weiss Series. A four-time New York Sire Stakes winner who was second in the Empire State’s championship, Hunt Off The Press showed he may be ready for bigger game right now, with the North America Cup eligible springing out of the pocket and posting a :26.2 final frame to win by himself in 1:52.1 for Buter and Team Bako/Blue Chip. The Huntsville-Off The Press gelding won his season opener by 8-3/4 lengths over a pair of 10-year-olds, Ronaldo N and Bicorne Hanover.
In the seven qualifiers won by Weiss eligibles, Team Orange Crush (driver Andy Miller and trainer Julie Miller), driver Bartlett, and trainer Bako had doubles. For the overall 16-race qualifying session, Bartlett guided five winners, with the Millers and Bako authoring four success stories.
Pocono is next in pari-mutuel motion on Saturday, March 28 at 1 p.m.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono; photo of Hunt Off The Press winning a New York Sire Stakes at Buffalo Raceway on July 9, 2025)