On Tuesday afternoon, Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania featured a pair of $16,000 contests for developing younger pacers.
In the division for males, Binge On Yankee (pictured above) regulated the pace then held off the potential Pocono Pike-shooter Erinwood Yves by a neck in 1:52. Starting from the outside post last week and too far back to rally effectively, this week the Stay Hungry sophomore gelding took control from the pole post position and raced on top throughout for driver Simon Allard, stepping home in :54.4 while winning for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Brad Grant and Lawrence Karr.
In the featured female division, Allard (now second in the drivers standings) and Burke (topping the trainers list) recombined to get home the Lazarus N miss Get Answers, a recent big cheque-getter in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final, in a lifetime best 1:52.1 while holding off Sweet Home by three-quarters of a length. This was the filly’s first start for her connections, trainer Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Yannick Gingras and Frank Canzone.
The $15,500 class for the top claiming handicap trotters on the grounds produced another impressive winner in the Chapter Seven gelding Valentine Express, who brushed to the lead down the back then went on to take a new mark of 1:53.1 for trainer Mike Watson, owner Chad Lemon and driver Tyler Buter.
Buter, who led all drivers with four successes on the card, also won the first race of the season devoted exclusively to two-year-olds, a filly trot during which the Chapter Seven-Goodtogo Hanover miss R Melina surrendered the lead down the backstretch, then fought back with her own last quarter in :28.1 to win in 1:57.4 for John Butenschoen and the partnership of M And L Of Delaware LLC and Alabama Harness Associates LLC.
Racing returns to Pocono on Saturday with a 1 p.m. card. On the Sunday 6 p.m. card, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes three-year-old pacing fillies will gather in two divisions of a $148,148 third preliminary round. Program pages for all Pocono races will be available on the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association website.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)