Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania has announced the creation of a $75,000 USD race for top pacing mares, the Mohegan Cup, to be held on Sunday, July 26 during a 5 p.m. twilight card.
The Mohegan Tribe of Native Americans is a federally-recognized tribe based in Connecticut. They entered the gaming world with Mohegan Sun, a casino in their home state in 1996, and when expanded gaming opportunities came to Pennsylvania in 2006, they were the first “racino” (racing and betting operation) to be open.
The Open pacing mares division this year is especially exciting, led by the one-two punch coming from the stable of U.S. Hall of Fame trainer Chris Ryder – Twin B Joe Fresh, 2024 U.S. Harness Horse of the Year and a U.S. divisional champion last year, and Miki And Minnie, now four and a division leader at two and three. Twin B Joe Fresh has a career record of 36-9-2 in 51 starts, good for earnings of $3,417,262, and Miki And Minnie, who is 21-6-2 in her 29-race career with earnings up to $2,896,454 following her Roses Are Red Stakes victory at Woodbine Mohawk Park (a race won by her stablemate the previous two years).
It must be noted, though, that a trainer may have only one entrant in the Mohegan Cup; there will therefore not be a showdown, but in a sense it’s a nice problem for trainer Ryder to have.
Team Ryder does not have a hammerlock on this division, though. Other top mares so far in 2026 have been Louies Girl N, a Down Under import who had won 13 of 15 North American starts before finishing third in the Roses Are Red last week; The Last Martini, a millionaire who was second to Miki And Minnie in both the Roses Are Red elimination and final; and Tarapasta, the highest money winner among all of North America’s Standardbred females to this point in 2026 with, largely on the strength of an upset win in the MGM Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series Championship at Yonkers Raceway recently.
The July 26 Mohegan Cup will be drawn on the morning of Tuesday, July 21 and the eight entrants with the highest money earnings in 2026 at time of declaration will be the starters.
Further information about the Mohegan Cup or any other racing at Pocono should be directed to Rick Kane, Director Of Racing, at 570-831-2288.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)