Photo: Curtis Salonick
By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Pylon-hugging horses did not get a major share of the money on Saturday afternoon at a cool Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, as horses in the two-wide lane during the second half of their miles during a crosswind session were most effective, including the Sweet Lou gelding Admiral Hill, a 1:51 winner in the $27,500 featured fast-class pace.
Finding nobody to provide him cover entering the backstretch after fractions of :27 and :54.3, the victorious winner of $811,733 proceeded up raw for driver Brett Beckwith, kept gaining after the 1:23 three-quarters, forged to the lead in early stretch, then withstood the horse on his back, the hard-luck Catalpa Rescue A (second in the last three Pocono weekly features), by 1½ lengths. Admiral Hill, owned by Morrison Racing Stables, was part of a training triple for the meet’s leading conditioner, Per Engblom.
There were a trio of $17,500 co-features for developing horses, one for male pacers and two for trotters. The sidewheelers were topped by the Captaintreacherous gelding Federer, who initially stayed in then slipped to the second tier, roared wide in the lane, and came from fifth at the stretch call to win in a lifetime best of 1:52.2 for trainer Cory Stratton and El Dorado Stables. Driver Anthony Napolitano completed a quartet of winning steers with Federer.
Matching “ANap” with four sulky successes is the only driver ahead of him early in the 2026 standings, last year’s top dashwinner Tyler Buter, whose four-bagger included taking both of the top trots. The quicker of the pair of diamondgaited spotlight races went to the Gimpanzee mare Winnpanzee, who found second-over cover in her seasonal debut, then was strongest late in 1:55.2. Ron Burke, leading trainer at Pocono four of the last five years, conditions the trotter for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Brad Grant.
Buter also guided the winner of the other top trot, Shoresy, with the pilot again finding the second-over trip and then coming home well for a 1:57.1 tally. The son of Cantab Hall is also trained by Engblom, and Shoresy has now taken his last four starts for Timothy Betts and Shanamphilankilou Inc.
The top race on Monday’s 1 p.m. card at Pocono will be a $25,000 contest for top distaff pacers; bettors will find carryovers going into the first race Pick 4 and the fifth race Pick 5. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
WILKES-BARRE PA – Pylon-hugging horses did not get a major share of the money on Saturday afternoon at a cool Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, as horses in the two-wide lane during the second half of their miles during a crosswind session were most effective, including the Sweet Lou gelding Admiral Hill, a 1:51 winner in the $27,500 featured fast-class pace.
Finding nobody to provide him cover entering the backstretch after fractions of :27 and :54.3, the victorious winner of $811,733 proceeded up raw for driver Brett Beckwith, kept gaining after the 1:23 three-quarters, forged to the lead in early stretch, then withstood the horse on his back, the hard-luck Catalpa Rescue A (second in the last three Pocono weekly features), by 1½ lengths. Admiral Hill, owned by Morrison Racing Stables, was part of a training triple for the meet’s leading conditioner, Per Engblom.
There were a trio of $17,500 co-features for developing horses, one for male pacers and two for trotters. The sidewheelers were topped by the Captaintreacherous gelding Federer, who initially stayed in then slipped to the second tier, roared wide in the lane, and came from fifth at the stretch call to win in a lifetime best of 1:52.2 for trainer Cory Stratton and El Dorado Stables. Driver Anthony Napolitano completed a quartet of winning steers with Federer.
Matching “ANap” with four sulky successes is the only driver ahead of him early in the 2026 standings, last year’s top dashwinner Tyler Buter, whose four-bagger included taking both of the top trots. The quicker of the pair of diamondgaited spotlight races went to the Gimpanzee mare Winnpanzee, who found second-over cover in her seasonal debut, then was strongest late in 1:55.2. Ron Burke, leading trainer at Pocono four of the last five years, conditions the trotter for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Brad Grant.
Buter also guided the winner of the other top trot, Shoresy, with the pilot again finding the second-over trip and then coming home well for a 1:57.1 tally. The son of Cantab Hall is also trained by Engblom, and Shoresy has now taken his last four starts for Timothy Betts and Shanamphilankilou Inc.
The top race on Monday’s 1 p.m. card at Pocono will be a $25,000 contest for top distaff pacers; bettors will find carryovers going into the first race Pick 4 and the fifth race Pick 5. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
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