The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Harrah’s Philadelphia each hosted qualifying sessions on Tuesday, June 16. Pocono conducted its first two-year-old qualifying races of the season, while Harrah’s Philadelphia was hosting its first qualifiers of 2020.
In terms of Pocono's 'baby races,' Todd Schadel's barn was hot. Schadel trainees won all of the session's two-year-old trotting races, and Schadel himself was in the bike for all of the wins.
Two of Schadel's wins came with freshman trotting colts, and the fastest of the colt winners was Top Me Off, who is by first-crop sire Bar Hopping and is out of Chiptomylou. Top Me Off recorded a wire-to-wire win in 2:00.2 with a back half of 58.1. Top Me Off is owned by Todd and his wife, Christine, in partnership with Rick and Regina Beinhauer.
The Shadel-trained and driven two-year-old trotting filly Cheesy Hanover (Cantab Hall--Chez Lucie) made two moves and stepped home in :29 to complete a 2:02 victory in her test. Schadel co-owns Cheesy Hanover along with Hall of Famer Jim Simpson.
On the pace, Schadel set the tempo with Shakealeg Hanover in the fastest freshman race, but the pair was run down late by Dillinger in 1:59.4 (which was the faster mile in the colt division). Dillinger is by first-crop sire Always B Miki and out of Bodacious Hanover, whose dam is Bunny Lake. Mark MacDonald guided Dillinger for trainer Ray Schnittker, who co-owns in partnership with Hall of Famer Ted Gewertz, Max J. Hempt, and Steven Arnold.
In the faster of two races for the juvenile fillies, the Rock N Roll Heaven–Toy Delight filly Jubilee Queen made two moves to control the pace for driver Matt Kakaley. The duo went on to record a win in 2:00 for trainer Kevin Lare and owners Frank Chick and David Hamm.
In the inaugural morning session of the year at Harrah's Philadelphia, the fastest heats were saved for last. The quickest mile of the day, 1:52.4, was turned in by the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Shadow Cat, who initially sat behind the pace-setting Mindtrip. Shadow Cat, who has been unraced since July of 2019, fired home with a :27.3 final quarter to win for driver Marcus Miller, trainer Josh Green, and new owners Howard Taylor and the David Rovine Stable LLC.
The quickest trotting win during Harrah's Philadelphia's qualifying session was the Kadabra gelding Tony Soprano, who hasn't participated in a pari-mutel race in 370 days. When all was said and done, Tony Soprano triumphing on the engine in 1:57.2.
(With files from the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association)