The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono hosted a 14-dash qualifying session on Wednesday (June 24), and 11 of the races were for two-year-olds.
Trainer Erv Miller saw four of his two-year-olds record victories during the session. Two of Miller's victorious freshman were male pacers, while the other two were male trotters.
The fastest freshman win time of the morning was recorded by Carrythetorchman, who is a colt by American Ideal and out of Kattimon, who has already produced a pair of $400K winners to this point in her broodmare career. In his Wednesday qualifier, Carrythetorchman made two moves to the lead and then stepped home in :55.4 to win in 1:57 for driver Atlee Bender. The Miller trainee is owned by Ronald Michelon and the War Horse Stables. The other victorious Miller pacer during the morning session was the Art Major--Wenditions colt Not Today, who overcame the outside Post 9 in 1:58.4 for driver Marcus Miller. Not Today is owned by Michael Anderson, Louis Willinger, and George Golemes.
The session's fastest male trotting win time was also recorded by a Miller trainee, as the Chapter Seven--Chandler T gelding Cschapeterone won for Bender in 2:01.1. Cschapeterone is owned by the Ervin Miller Stable, Tangie Massie, Louis Willinger, and Harvey Eisman. Stablemate Mystical King was just a tick behind Cschapeterone in completing the Erv Miller quadruple. Driver Marcus Miller got the job done Wednesday for owners Ervin Miller Stable, Mystical Marker Farms, and Harmony Oaks Racing Stable.
Trainer Jenny Melander recorded a pair of wins with juvenile trotting fillies during the session. Melander's Cantab Hall--All That Sparkles filly Myreanna took 'speed honours' with a wire-to-wire, 1:59.2 win for driver Matt Kakaley and the JPS Racing Stables LLC. Jenny herself handled the Cantab Hall--Tymal Elvira filly Two Piece Tanlines. Jenny probably didn’t like being 13 lengths behind at the three quarters with Two Piece Tanlines, but the front-end speed gave way and Melander guided her baby home first in 2:03.2 for Melander Racing Inc., John Devito and Michael and Gary Card.
Finally, the quickest of the juvenile pacing fillies was the Roll With Joe--Special Sweetheart lass Special Olivia, who went to the lead down the backstretch and carried her speed to the wire in 1:58.1 for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Rob Harmon, and owner John Fleischman.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)