Three-year-old trotting males continued on the path towards New Jersey on the first Saturday in August as they contested three $41,667 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event on Sunday evening, May 18 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
The fastest winner, the Greenshoe-Swizzle Sticks gelding Lefties Righties (pictured above), took a lifetime mark of 1:53.3. He had speed early in the mile, taking the lead before the :28.1 quarter, then sat in the pocket as Hey Porter carried on to the top and posted mid-splits of :57 and 1:25.1, with favoured Meshuggah moving uncovered from fourth late in the backstretch. Hey Porter carried the field into the stretch but immediately came under pressure to both sides, and a quick burst in the Pocono Pike from Lefties Righties propelled him to a neck decision over the steady grind of the chalk, with Hey Porter third. Braxten Boyd had the drive for trainer Jenny Melander and the partnership of Chuck Sylvester, Charles Stansley, Lenavitt Investments and John Licausi.
In another division, favoured Frank Leahy moved from the pocket after a :28 first panel, made the lead, retained it through fractions of :57.2 and 1:25.4, then finished powerfully to reduce his speed badge to 1:54. The Southwind Frank-Regal Woman colt left the opposition five lengths behind while driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ron Burke -- a six-time winner here on the Saturday card and in possession of almost double the wins of his nearest local rival -- and owners Ben Mondello and FAC Racing.
Give Me A Yankee was far back early off fractions of :28.3, :58.2 and 1:26.1, but he wound up in an excellent cover flow for driver Simon Allard and got past favoured Green Mel for a 2-1/4-length score while reducing his mark to 1:55. Give Me A Yankee has had trotting hopples in his last four starts, with two wins and two breaks – but this win suggests he is coming around nicely (his own last half in :55.3) for trainer Mark Akins and A 1 Racing, which consist of Akins and Allard.
In the $22,917 overnight feature for the top-priced claiming handicap pacers, the So Surreal-Armbro Wallflower gelding Real Surreal certainly had a difficult trip early and then had to rally against tough horses, but he won his third race in his last four starts with a 1:51.3 mile. The hard-hitter won at first asking for owner Sam Dalia, who claimed the horse for $48,611 last time out on May 3.
The win was also one of three winning pairings on the night for the track’s leading driver, Tyler Buter, and trainer Hunter Oakes. Oakes also trains Lunar, who set the 2025 standard at Philly of 1:48.4 earlier in the day, while Buter, who had five wins overall on the card, now has 33 victories during 10 days of May racing at the mountain oval.
In a $13,889 trot for the American Harness Drivers Club, Joe Faraldo went down the road with 5-2 second choice Beerthirty K in a 1:57 mile for trainer Scott DiDomenico.
Racing continues at The Downs on Monday and Tuesday at 1 p.m. On Tuesday’s card, Chapolier, the winningest trotter in North America, will try for his 11th straight win, all at Pocono this season (and racing Tuesday for driver Buter and trainer Oakes in his fourth stint in the barn).
(With files from PHHA/Pocono & American Harness Drivers Club)