Speed was the name of the game on Saturday afternoon, June 1 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. A new season’s speed mark was set for trotters, while the fastest mile by a pacer at the track in 2024 was also lowered and then later equalled.
Racing under perfect conditions, the seven-year-old Cassis gelding On Higher Ground turned in a season’s-best time of 1:52 in winning the $22,603 fast-class trot. With Matt Kakaley up, On Higher Ground worked a second-over trip, claimed the lead just past the three-quarter pole and beat Herodotus to the wire by a half length.
A career winner of $586,033, On Higher Ground is 2-2-0 in seven starts this year for trainer Jenn Bongiorno.
On the pacing side of the ledger, Da Delightful, a son of Bettors Delight, won at 28-1 to post the first 1:49.1 mile of the meet in winning a $17,423 pace for driver Braxten Boyd and trainer/owner Mark Silva. Da Delightful improved to 4-4-2 from 13 starts this year. The eight-year-old bay horse shows earnings of $54,944 this year.
Da Delightful’s hold on the Pocono season’s pacing mark lasted just six races. Making an uncovered second-over move at the half, Big Skewy N chased down pacesetter Binge On Yankee to win the $22,603 fast class pace by a nose, taking a new mark of 1:49.1 for driver Jason Bartlett. A Sportswriter gelding, Big Skewy N is 3-2-2 in eight 2024 starts for trainer Scott Blackler and Arrhythmic LLC.
Seven proved to be a lucky number in a pair of $23,288 pacing contests for developing horses. In the faster of the two events, Black Magic won from the outside post seven in 1:52.2. George Napolitano Jr. was up for trainer Linda Toscano. A career winner of $400,762, Black Magic is owned by Richard Gutnick, Thomas Pontone and Joseph Lozito Jr.
The other split of this event was also taken by a horse that overcame the outside post seven. Energy Source, a Swan For All gelding, won in a new mark of 1:54.2. Napolitano was also at the reins for trainer Lance Hudson and owner William Hartt.
Kakaley had three wins on the day to move to 106 and tie Napolitano for the lead in driving wins. Bongiorno sent out two winners on the day to move into a tie with Jeff Cullipher for the honour of the meet’s leading trainer.
Sunday’s Pocono race card goes postward at 6 p.m. The card will be headed by a pair of $22,603 claiming handicap paces. There will also be a Pick-5 carryover beginning with race five.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)