Last week Stayingwiththewind came to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania from Yonkers, laid off fast fractions, then closed to miss by just a neck. In this week's $38,194 mares handicap pacing feature, the daughter of Stay Hungry went to the lead and set fast fractions, then held off closing favourite Rocket Deo to win by a neck in a career-best 1:50.3 on Monday, June 1.
George Napolitano was kept out to the :26.3 quarter to gain the lead, then he and the mare rolled on to post middle splits of :54.4 and 1:22.2. Rocket Deo, who looked at several leavers inside her and tucked fourth, launched an uncovered bid late on the backstretch but was still last at the stretch call, and Stayinginthewind had enough in the tank to win for trainer Doug Dilloian Jr. and the ownership of Brian Loman of Champaign, IL, Kyle Warren of Oceanport, NJ, and Dilloian Stable of Tinton, NJ.
The Papi Rob Hanover mare Gigglingonthebeach, just a half length behind the rampaging Miss Jum Jabber in her last race, also was a front end winner in the $24,305 distaff pace co-feature. Gigglingonthebeach had outside pressure hounding her through early numbers of :26.1 and :54, shook off that challenge, hit the three-quarters in 1:22.1, and was clear by two lengths at the wire in 1:50.1 for driver Lauren Tritton, trainer Juan Cano, and Hot Lead Farm of Allentown, NJ.
The popular Game Of Claims Series opened another segment, with three $15,278 divisions for pacers base-priced at $15,000 USD. Owners looking for sharp horseflesh were pretty much on the money, as four horses were claimed – including all three winners. Driver Anthony Napolitano and trainer Marta Piotrow got a nice goodbye present from two horses: Major Ace, who took a new mark at age eight of 1:51.3, and Building Boost, who had been claimed last time out and got one win in 1:53.2 before again going to a new home. The other winner/claimant, Party Central (1:52.1), also had been haltered out of his last outing.
Goldsmith Maid winner All Time Trot S, beaten a neck in the Lady Suffolk in his first start of 2026, quickly reestablished winning form with a 1:54.4 victory despite the outside post eight. Trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt made two moves with the Googoo Gaagaa filly and won by 3-1/4 lengths for Midnight Sun Partners Inc., giving the land of her birth another reason to cheer after what happened at Solvalla the previous day.
The top two drivers of the meet, Tyler Buter and Anthony Napolitano, each tallied three times on the day. Buter now has recorded eight wins in the three days of racing here this week, and seven of them have come from the barn of Ron Burke; “ANap”’s triple included the two GOCPS winners cared for by Marta Piotrow.
Trotters take the Tuesday spotlight as Pocono closes out its first four-day week of 2026, with a $15,500 USD event for developing diagonal-gaiters and a $15,000 claiming handicap.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono Downs)