Dan Patch Award winner Miki And Minnie made her highly anticipated 2025 debut Monday, May 12 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, capturing one of four $41,667 divisions of the Pennsylvania All-Stars. It was a memorable afternoon for trainer Noel Daley as well, who celebrated a major career milestone by notching his 3,000th training victory.
Trained by Chris Ryder for owners Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo, and Lawrence Minowitz (the “Min” in Miki And Minnie—with sire Always B Miki providing the “Miki”), the filly faced an outside post in an eight-horse field. Driver Dexter Dunn took his time making his way toward the front, riding live cover behind Pilar Hanover (Tim Tetrick), who reached the quarter in :27.1. Dunn then moved his charge to the front before the half, which was clocked in :55.3, and hit three-quarters in a brisk 1:22.4, as second-choice Always Ana Hanover (Yannick Gingras) settled into the pocket nearing the far turn.
Through the stretch, Dunn simply gave the filly a subtle reminder, and she responded with authority, pacing away to a 3-1/4 length win in 1:51. After closing out her freshman season with a bang, scoring in both the Breeders Crown and Three Diamonds, Miki And Minnie (pictured above) picked up right where she left off, boosting her lifetime earnings to $1,171,323.
Dunn later picked up a second All-Stars win, guiding My Sweet Lily to a new lifetime mark of 1:51.1 in a poised performance. Sitting second-over through a contested early pace of :26.1 and :55.1, Dunn and the Sweet Lou-sired filly were briefly buried as favourite Rodeo Drive Deo (David Miller) launched three-wide from third-over. But Dunn backed his filly out into the clear, angled wide in the stretch, and surged past for a one-length victory. It was the second start of the year for My Sweet Lily, the New Jersey Classic final winner in 2024, trained by Nancy Takter for owners Marvin and Lynn Katz and Caviart Farms.
The day’s fastest All-Stars division went to Asphalt, a daughter of Papi Rob Hanover, who lowered her mark to 1:50.3. Tetrick sent her forward early, clearing by the :27.2 quarter and dictating terms with middle splits of :55.2 and 1:23.2 before sprinting home in :27 to win by three lengths for trainer Brett Pelling and owner Margaret Dey.
Trainer Noel Daley notched a major career milestone on Monday’s card, earning his 3,000th career training victory. The accomplishment came when Westwinds, a daughter of Captaintreacherous, captured her $41,667 Pennsylvania All-Stars division in 1:51.2. Driven by Andrew McCarthy, Westwinds surged first-over and edged out Karma in a tight finish to give Daley the landmark win. She is owned by Milton Leeman, Stambaugh Keith Stable, Joe Sbrocco, and Wingfield Brothers LLC.
Daley was named U.S. Trainer of the Year in 2024 after a standout season. His stable earned a career-best $6.67 million in purses, with $4.87 million of that total ranking 11th among all trainers in North America—despite Daley making significantly fewer starts (603) than most in the top 10. In fact, seven of the trainers ahead of him had at least 299 more starts. He conditioned two of the sport’s top performers and Dan Patch Award winners: pacing star Captain Albano and standout trotter Sig Sauer. But Daley’s success extended well beyond his decorated duo. He scored Grand Circuit victories with seven additional horses, tallying 19 wins on that circuit alone, and added state-bred stakes wins with 10 more.
With a deep, talented roster returning in 2025, Daley looks poised for another banner year.
Tyler Buter and George Napolitano Jr., who sit first and second in Pocono’s seasonal driver standings, finished the day in that same order. Buter drove four winners, bringing his tally to 21 wins over the last six race days, while Napolitano scored three. It was also a strong day for bettors, as ten favourites and four second choices prevailed.
Live racing continues Tuesday, May 13, with a 1 p.m. post. Pocono’s current summer schedule features live racing Saturdays at 1 p.m., Sundays at 6 p.m., and Mondays and Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Louprint, last year’s champion colt, is expected to return on Saturday, May 17, to headline the first local Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series action of the season.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)