By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The My MVP mare Thisisshe continued her domination of the top claiming trotters at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Tuesday, taking a new mark of 1:53.4 in the $12,800 handicap feature.
 
Thisisshe has frequently raced on or near the lead, but with Just Maybe The One blasting away and Clarion Hall protecting the pocket, driver George Napolitano Jr. settled the favorite in third, and the pair may have given her backers a bit of anxiety as she gapped at points as Just Maybe The One blasted fractions of :26.3, :55.1, and 1:23.4.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Bella Bellini and Dazzling Reign, both winners at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono last Sunday but in different classes, were united this Sunday in each capturing a $37,500 division of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for three-year-old trotting fillies at the northeast Pennsylvania oval.
 
The Bar Hopping filly Bella Bellini, successful in a PA Sire Stakes last week despite having to go uncovered, again had to overcome first-over duties, but she did so in spectacular fashion in 1:54. 2020 Breeders Crown winner Lady Chaos got command past a :27.4 quarter, and after getting a stroll to the half in :58.1, with Bella Bellini still five lengths behind, the path looked good for Lady Chaos, winner of the other PaSS cut seven days ago. But Dexter Dunn got the Nifty Norman-trained filly underway down the back, and "Bella" uncorked a sizzling own last half of :54.4 - :27 to easily sail past Lady Chaos by 2½ lengths; Anoka Hanover, well-placed on the winner’s back, ruined her chances with a break

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The two favorites, Elver Hanover and Hickfromfrenchlick, fought for most of the stretch charge in the $19,300 featured pace Saturday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but it was the Bettor’s Delight gelding Jack’s Legend N who swung wide off cover and beat the chalk to the line in 1:50.4.
 
Hickfromfrenchlink was pushed by Elver Hanover to a :26.2 first quarter to gain command, but then got to rate the half to :55.4. The leader stepped up the tempo as Highalator grinded up to challenge, with the three-quarters passed in 1:23.2. For much of the stretch it looked like the pacesetter and the pocketsitter would decide the issue, but Jack’s Legend N, relatively unused, angled to the far outside from third-over and roared home to beat out Elver Hanover, in the Pocono Pike, by a neck, with Hickfromfrenchlick just another nose back in third.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The royally-bred sophomore gelding Bee Forever won the trotting division of the $12,600 tri-features over a “sloppy” surface on Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, but there was much more drama involved than his 1-5 backers might’ve liked. 
 
Padre wound up cutting the mile ahead of Dutiful, with Victor Kirby racing the victorious son of Muscle Hill – Bee A Magician in third-over position, swinging three-wide from seventh into the far turn and picking up horses rapidly. At the top of the stretch, Bee Forever looked an easy winner – but he then in turn got rough, broke briefly, regained gait, and bore out. Dutiful found clearance along the inside and was narrowing in, but Kirby got the trotter straightened away and held on a by a neck.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Many of the three-year-old trotting fillies who raced in stakes company at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono last Sunday will be back at the mountain oval this Sunday, contesting two $35,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars contest.
 
In the first section, a field of nine going as race eight, the Andover Hall filly Love Muffin was accorded early favoritism despite making a break here last week. Before that, though, Love Muffin had recorded two Sire Stakes victories, and last year’s PA Stallion Series champion will look to rebound for driver Andy Miller and trainer/wife Julie as she starts from post four. Just outside her will be Dazzling Reign, who has two wins and a second by a neck in three Stallion Series starts, and the Father Patrick filly will be tested to see if she can handle the rise in company for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Justin Huckabone III.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – 2019 Hambletonian champion Forbidden Trade didn’t find the outside post eight too much to overcome as he won the $16,200 handicap trotting feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon.
 
Big Oil, himself a world record setter at two in 2019, made the 4-5 favorite work for control of the racetrack, but after the :26.4 opening quarter driver Bob McClure was able to give the millionaire a soft middle half, with fractions of :55.3 and 1:24.4. Turning on the speed down the stretch, the victorious son of Kadabra came home in :28 to complete the mile in 1:52.4, with Big Oil 1¼ lengths back.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Younger pacers took the week-opening spotlight Wednesday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with four $12,600 events featuring up-and-coming horses.
 
Fastest winner in the three sections for males was the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Mad Man Hill, who took a new mark of 1:51.2. Simon Allard extricated the sophomore out of a shuffle situation after Curbside Pickup had brushed to a sizable lead, and the “Mad Man” had enough late speed to catch his opponent by a head for trainer Ed Gannon Jr. and the partnership of Zippett Racing Stable and Evan Katz.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Erv Miller has achieved giant accomplishments as a trainer – fourth of the all-time list for victories and third for money – but most people don’t remember that he also was a two-time UDR champion. On Wednesday morning Miller showed he had lost none of his sulky prowess by guiding Flip My Chip to a 1:55.3 victory in a baby race at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
 
The Heston Blue Chip gelding did not have an easy go of it, getting an early spot and then coming back on with cover, but he came home in :55 - :27.1 to win nicely for driver/trainer Miller and the ownership of Ervin Miller Stable Inc. and Sara Miller.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Gray Dragon won his fourth straight outing over The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono’s oval Tuesday afternoon, contending with a sloppy surface for the first time but that making no difference as he won the pacing cut of twin $15,300 features in 1:50.4.
 
Driver Mark MacDonald made no mistakes in gradually sending the son of Dragon Again to the lead, reaching that point in front of the stands the first time, and the talented four-year-old maintained the advantage from there, winning over a good field for trainer John Butenschoen (one of three on the day for him) and owners Emerald Highland Farms. In the middle of this win streak, Gray Dragon did make one trip to The Meadowlands – and would have had to pace home in 1:19.4 from where he was at the quarter. But given reasonable expectations, the gray has been able to produce repeatedly.