It was 60 years ago today that the harness horses began to race at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania – July 15, 1965 was the first day of racing ever at the Downs, and the tradition went into its seventh decade on Tuesday, July 15 with a $20,548 claiming handicap trot as the feature, as has often been the case in recent months.
This particular classification has been prone to winning streaks all year, and that trend continued with the Tuesday victory of the Anders Bluestone-Jas Commando gelding Jas Bluestone, who scored in 1:53.4 for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Joe Pavia Jr., and owner Kathleen Napolitano. The gelding sat the pocket through splits of :27.1, :56.1, and 1:25 before going by pacesetter Macmorris Hanover (Anthony Napolitano) in the stretch to win by a half-length over the closing Quicksilvr Bluechip (Matt Kakaley). Macmorris Hanover finished third. The winner returned $4.
Jas Bluestone has now won two straight and five of his last seven starts. The six-year-old is 21-for-89 lifetime.
The late-developing Always B Miki-Benear gelding Laugh Shop took a mark of 1:50 in a conditioned pace, setting most of a quick tempo and then going free at the end with a :27.2 final panel. Braxten Boyd, of Madden Oaks fame, guided the winner for trainer Jill Wine and the ownership pair of Samuel Abdoo and Wine Stable.
Racing returns to Pocono on Saturday for a 1 p.m. start. During the Sunday 6 p.m. program there will be $238,266 USD in stakes action during the second prelim round of state-sired competition for freshman pacing fillies, with three Sire Stakes divisions and five sections of the Stallion Series.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)