By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The pacing powerhouse Ruthless Hanover came within a fifth of a second of the oldest track record on the books at Harrah’s Philadelphia, winning the $20,000 Open handicap pace for males on Friday afternoon in 1:48.3.
 
On a warm day that was conducive to speedy tactics in any case, George Napolitano Jr. had the pedal to the metal with the Somebeachsomewhere gelding, laying down fractions of :26.1, :54.2, and 1:21.4 while pacing home effortlessly to come up just a tick shy of the local mark for older pacing geldings set on June 8, 2008 by Fake Denario N. Ruthless Hanover has won both his seasonal starts and his last six trips to the gate in a row for Team Cancelliere, trainer Tom and owner John, and he can easily be seen giving the toughest FFA pacers around a lot to handle.
 
There was also a $20,000 companion feature for pacing distaffs, won by the Yonkers invader Fade Out in 1:51. Tim Tetrick, in keeping with the theme of the day, sent the Sportswriter mare right the top, rang up splits of :26.3, :55.1, and 1:23, then flashed home strongly for trainer Jeff Cullipher, co-owner with Pollack Racing LLC. Tetrick and Cullipher are the winningest horsemen at the young meet; in all Tetrick visited Victory Lane five times Friday.
 
In addition to the big mile by Ruthless Hanover, other sub-1:50 winners Friday were Last Gunfighter (1:49.3, driver Mike Cole) and a pair guided by David Miller, Birthday (1:49.2) and Mankat (1:49.3); the average win time on the card was 1:50.3. 
 
The racing week will close out on Sunday at 12:40, with a little bit of everything in the feature spotlight: trotters and pacers, fast-class veterans and developing younger horses. Program pages for all Philly cards are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/harrahspps.html.                                                  

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Two of the three $20,000 divisions of the second prelim of the Bobby Weiss Series for sophomore trotting fillies saw repeat winners in Tuesday’s action at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, but the other success story, the debutante Kaddari, who like the other Weiss winners is a daughter of Walner, posted the fastest time of 1:55.1 on a cold day. 
 
Unraced at two, Kaddari, a $375,000 yearling, began paying back that sizable investment for Courant Inc. Mattias Melander quickly made the top with the filly, trained by his brother Marcus, and kept the lead the rest of the way, with Baby Oil three-quarters of a length back.
 
The aptly-named Quite Fast remained unbeaten for the year as she lowered her mark to 1:56.1, edging favored Over Board (also a first week winner) by a nose for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Pete Kaiser, and the ownership of Bax Stable, Glengate Fams, and Brilo Farms. A Good Chardonnay is also unbeaten in a pair of 2023 starts after a 1:58 victory for Team Orange Crush, driver Andy and trainer Julie Miller, and the ownership of Andy Miller Stable Inc., Michael Anderson, and Jean Goehlen.
 
The Tuesday card also hosted five $20,000 final preliminary round divisions of the Game Of Claims Trotting Series for horses with a base tag of $30,000. No one effected a sweep of the three rounds, but two horses recorded their second GOC victory: Can’t Say No (1:54.4, driver George Napolitano Jr., undefeated in the only two prelims he contested) and the French-bred Elegant Dulupin FR (equaling her mark of 1:55.1 for Mark MacDonald).
 
George Napolitano Jr. took a second GOC win (which complemented his Weiss victory) with Warrior Way in 1:55; Braxten Boyd also won two races in the claiming series, with Lady’s Image (1:56.3) and Crazycat (1:56.4). None of the winners were claimed on Tuesday, with the group’s $40,000 Championship looming just a week away.
 
The Bobby Weiss Series will begin to conduct its third and final preliminaries on the next card at Pocono, Saturday at 1 p.m., with the three-year-old pacing males, the Weiss horses all trying for spots in their $50,000 Championships the following week. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.  

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Bestfriend Volo and Moni Book have stamped themselves as the horses to beat in the Bobby Weiss Series for three-year-old trotting colts, winning their second straight preliminary Sunday evening at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania while both taking new marks of 1:55.
 
The Walner gelding Bestfriend Volo took to the track first, with driver Tyler Buter tucking third then unleashing him down the backstretch to get the lead from pacesetter G Load near the three-quarters. That foe remained game to the line, but Bestfriend Volo had a 2¼ length lead at the finish to remain undefeated in two seasonal starts for trainer Nifty Norman and the ownership of Pinske Stables, Patricia Stable, and Curly Tall Curly Small.
 
The International Moni gelding Moni Book is unbeaten in three lifetime trips to the gate, all this year, after getting parked most of the first half to the lead yet still be able to hold off a strong Battin A Thousand by three-quarters of a length. Mark MacDonald drove the winner for trainer Justin Wiest and the ownership of David Wiest Stables LLC, Pamela Kimmel, and James Rappold.
 
Top pacing event on the card was a $16,500 contest for the highest-priced claimers on the grounds, a race where Sombodyitreasure recorded his second straight win, here controlling the pace while stopping the timer at 1:51.4 under the guidance of Simon Allard. Trainer Bryson Dunning and Mark Labbree claimed Sombodyitreasure on March 25 and earned $16,500 (minus expenses) before losing him to a claim out of this race.
 
Weiss Series action shifts to the three-year-old pacing fillies for the Monday 1 p.m. card; along with that group’s second prelim, there will be the final preliminary leg for horses with a Monday base tag of $15,000, battling to earn a spot in their $17,500 Championship event a week from Monday. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.  

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – There were plenty of fine trotters in display in the featured races at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon.
 
The top class was a $16,200 handicap event, won by the Maryland star Yall Beneath Me from the outside post seven in 1:52.3. Yall Beneath Me had his opposition all behind him throughout the mile for driver Johnathan Ahle and trainer/driver Richard Hans of Googoo Gaagaa fame – only appropriate since Googoo Gaagaa is the sire of the winner of $262,884.
 
In the $13,000 fast-class subfeature, Chiplosive rallied out of the pocket to catch pacesetter Manofmanymuscles in a 1:54.1 mile. The Explosive Matter gelding, owned by Pollack Racing LLC and benefitting from the backing of Philly top driver Tim Tetrick and top trainer Jeff Cullipher, now has earnings of $290,842.
 
Dreamonhigh defeated Betterinpinehurst for the second straight week in the $15,300 top trot for developing horses, here equaling her mark of 1:53.3. The pacesetting Andover Hall mare sprinted home in :55.3 - :27.3 to remain in firm control for driver David Miller, trainer Per Engblom, and the ownership of Zippett Racing Stable and Amos Lengacher while raising her earnings to $400,227.
 
There also was a $15,300 event on the pace, and in it the Artspeak gelding Outclassed showed a strong late kick to reduce his mark to 1:50.4. Joe Bongiorno drove the Chuck Crissman Jr. trainee for owners Garber Stables LLC and Daniel and Pamela Garber.
 
Tim Tetrick and Todd McCarthy both drove three winners on the Sunday card.
 
Racing continues on the schedule of Thursday and Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40; there will be a special Kentucky Derby Day card May 6 at 12:40, and 12:25 Wednesdays will be added to the schedule on May 17. Program pages for all Philly cards are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/harrahspps.html.    

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Panettone Hanover became the only two-time winner in the first two preliminaries of the Bobby Weiss Series for three-year-old pacing colts Saturday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, winning one of five $20,000 divisions in 1:52.2 as rain began to fall just before he post paraded in the tenth race.
 
The Captaintreacherous gelding has now won five of his last six starts, but he keeps his fans’ interest before usually delivering a victory. On Saturday, “Panettone” led at every pole and seemed confidently-handled by driver Simon Allard, but Hurrikane Hunter was humming late only to come up a nose shy, adding to the winner’s recent collection of three victories by a head and one by the luxurious margin of half a length. Ron Burke trains the gritty horse for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, William Switala and James Martin.
 
Allard/Burke teamed for another Weiss win behind the Stay Hungry colt Binge On Yankee, who raced on the engine and took a life mark of 1:51.2 for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Brad Grant, and Lawrence Kerr. With the chalk winning three Weiss contests, Binge On Yankee paid $14.00 and right behind him in the mutuel rank was $13.60 winner Poseidon Deo, another Captaintreacherous gelding who made a decisive backstretch move to the lead and lowered his best time to 1:51.3 (the track had been rerated “good” by then) for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Eddie Dennis, and owner Roy Parker Jr.
 
Rewarding the punters’ faith were the other two winners: Ghost Mark, a Revenge Shark gelding who equaled his mark of 1:51.3 for Buter, trainer Rob Harmon, and owners Kyle Larner and Brian Hochman; and the Huntsville gelding I Was Tricked, home in a lifetime best 1:52 for driver Jim Pantaleano, trainer Nicholas Devita, and the team of Devita Racing Stable Inc., David Hamm, Christopher Giaccio, and Glenn Phillips.
 
The top overnight event on the card went for $18,500, and the Sweet Lou gelding Phoenix Of Fluzzy parlayed a pocket trip into a head decision over His Beats Hanover in 1:52 for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Scott Blackler, and owner Chad Kowal.
 
Long before the rain came, Pocono posted its fastest miles of 2023 on both gaits, with both winners taking new speed badges and both being driven by Anthony Napolitano. The Luck Be Withyou gelding Luckbewithalex overcame a rough uncovered trip to win in 1:49.3 for trainer Lance Hudson and owner William Hartt, while on the trot the Walner gelding TNT Blue Chip won his fourth straight, this time in 1:52.4 for trainer Bruce Clarke, who is also the co-owner with Patricia Waldeck. 
 
Sunday’s 6 p.m. card will be highlighted by two $20,000 divisions of the second preliminary of the Bobby Weiss Series for sophomore trotting colts, with Bestfriend Hanover and Moni Book looking to repeat their victories in the first leg – and they may well do it, since they are in different divisions. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.  

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Ruthless Hanover served notice to the national free-for-all pacing class that he may be ready for them right now after winning his seasonal debut, a $20,000 Open handicap Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, in 1:49.2, the fastest mile in eastern Pennsylvania this season.
 
George Napolitano Jr. got the Somebeachsomewhere gelding away third from the outside slot seven as Baba O’Riley streaked away from the pole in :26 as Colossal Stride A grabbed the early pocket, then moved with “Ruthless” off the first turn to the lead and got a breather to the :55.3 half. The price of pacing increased to :26.2 as Ruthless Hanover had all but Baba O’Riley strung out behind him to the 1:22 three-quarters, and that rival gave game chase home, but Ruthless was in control late in a :27.2 kicker while winning by a length. 
 
This was actually Ruthless Hanover’s fifth win in a row, but the other four had come in early fall before he was spelled. After a 1:50 qualifier and then this mile, bigger things seem to be in his immediate future for Team Cancelliere, trainer Tom and owner/brother John. 
 
Kickupyaheels made it two straight in Philly’s top class for top distaffs, winning this week’s $20,000 handicap pace in 1:51.3. Joe Bongiorno worked out a pocket trip behind Feeling Sweet as she set fractions of :27, :56.2, and 1:23.3, then went to the inside and caught the stubborn leader by three parts of a length. Chris Choate conditions the daughter of A Rocknroll Dance for owner Timothy Drag.
 
The younger horses were featured in a $15,300 pacing contest won by the Fear The Dragon gelding Fearful Intent in 1:51. Simon Allard wanted the engine with the winner of four of his last six, putting up early splits of :27.2 and :56.2, then put in a :26.1 third quarter blitz to reach that pole in 1:22.3 with a big lead. Dreaming Of Lou came on well late but Fearful Intent got the job done for trainer Jeff Cullipher, top trainer at Philly thus far in the young season, and Pollack Racing LLC.
 
Simon Allard led the drivers with four victories, all of them on the front end on the hot day.
 
Trotters will be in the spotlight at Philly throughout Sunday’s 12:40 card, with featured contests for both veteran fast-class stock and up-and-coming horses. Program pages for all Philly cards are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/harrahspps.html.  

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – There were a trio of $13,500 events for the developing “nw 5 races lifetime” class on the Thursday afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
 
A division of trotters were the first of the featured horses to post parade, and a son of Trixton, The American Eagle, overcame a lot of time spent away from the inside pylons, taking a new mark of 1:54.2 under the guidance of George Napolitano Jr. Per Engblom, last season’s leading trainer at Philly, conditions the fast diamondgaiter for Consus Racing Stable Inc.
 
Engblom sent out a second feature winner when the Western Ideal mare Idealinfun, after working hard to get the lead, retained it to the wire ahead of a field of pacing distaffs, making her seasonal debut a successful one in 1:53.3. Andrew McCarthy was in the sulky for Morrison Racing Stables.
 
An event for pacing males saw the Captaintreacherous gelding R Captain Hanover take full advantage of a rail draw, taking the short way home while leading at every pole and lowering his lifetime best to 1:52.2. Todd McCarthy had the driving assignment for trainer Roy Coyne Jr. and the partnership of Ron Coyne Stables Inc., Blair Corbeil, and Edward Pachuta.
 
The tote board had two flairs of brilliance today, one very large – Hurrymiki Hanover came from last to win the third race and pay $131.60 for a $2 win ticket -- and one a bit smaller – Sandradimples overcame the outside post for a $58.20 upset.
 
Tim Tetrick added to his meet-leading driving win status by visiting the winners circle four times on the afternoon. (The crowd’s on to Tetrick, though – the four wins combined for a $14.40 mutuel return.)
 
A pair of $20,000 handicap events for the best fast-class pacers at the riverside oval will headline Friday’s 12:25 card. The fifth race event for females will find Dresden trying to bounce back from a hard-luck second last time to Kickupyaheels N, who is also in the field; the seventh race contest for males will mark the seasonal debut of the mega-fast Ruthless Hanover, who closed out his 2022 campaign with four straight wins and who last Tuesday qualified over the Philly oval in 1:50 flat. Program pages for all Philly cards are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/harrahspps.html.                                                  

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Tuesday afternoon card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania saw trotters in the spotlight, in both four $20,000 divisions of the first preliminary of the Weiss Series for sophomore fillies, and in six $20,000 divisions of the second preliminary of the Game Of Claims Series for horses carry a base claiming tag this week of $27,500.
 
The quickest mile turned in during the Weiss action was 1:55.3 by the Walner miss A Good Chardonnay, setting the pace and holding off potential pocket rocket EEE Z Wow by 1 ¼ lengths while breaking her maiden for trainer Julie Miller and driver Andy Miller, whose Andy Miller Stable Inc. shares ownership with Michael Anderson and Jean Goehlen.
 
The Bar Hopping filly Bella Macchiato lived up to 1-10 backing, making two moves in controlling the pace and winning in 1:56.4 by three-quarters of a length for driver Josert Fonseca, trainer Nancy Takter, and the ownership of Black Horse Racing, Christina Takter, Goran Anderberg, and the trainer.
 
Drivers Tyler Buter and Jim Pantaleano had a victory in both the Weiss and the Game Of Claims. Buter’s Weiss win was with the Father Patrick filly Over Board, whose strong rally carried her to a 1:56.3 maiden victory for trainer Carter Pinske and the team of Pinske Stables and Lizanne Waples. Pantaleano brought home the Walner filly Quite Fast, whose three-quarter length win in 1:57.2 came in her introduction to trainer Pete Kaiser; she is owned by Bax Stable, Glengate Farms, and Brilo Farms.
 
With his victory in a career best 1:53.3 during Game Of Claims action, Manofmanymuscles (one of four Tuesday wins for Jim Pantaleano to lead all drivers) became the fastest series winner of the day, the only double winner in his GOC division, and also the only series winner of the day to be claimed. 
 
Tyler Buter’s GOC victory came in the second-fastest mile in the series competition, a 1:54.2 score behind Town Victor which equaled his mark. Other Game Of Claims winners were Nasey (1:54.4, driver Braxten Boyd), Diehard Seelster (1:55.2 to equal his mark, Marcus Miller), Simon Got Lucky (a lifetime best 1:55.3, Simon Allard), and Can’t Say No (1:56, George Napolitano Jr.).
 
Racing returns to Pocono on Saturday at 1 p.m.; the second round of the Weiss Series for three-year-old pacing colts would find any repeat winner really enhancing his chances of making the $50,000 Championship on April 29. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.  

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Monday afternoon card at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania featured five divisions of two ongoing series: $20,000 a section for the first preliminary of the Bobby Weiss Series for three-year-old pacing fillies, and five $9000 cuts of the second prelim of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series for horses who raced with a base tag of $12,500.
 
In the Weiss Series, two fillies posted a clocking of 1:52.1. One was C Is For Cookie, a daughter of Betting Line – Sweet Future (she the dam of Sweet Lou and Bettor Sweet), with whom cameo-appearance driver Scott Zeron was just a passenger late in winning by 1½ lengths for trainer Linda Toscano and Birnam Wood Farms.
 
The other victress in that time was the first of two Weiss wins for driver Braxten Boyd, the Huntsville filly Sweet Home, coming up the inside from third-in to win by 1½ lengths and take a new mark for trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Chuck Pompey. Boyd also succeeded with Caris, a daughter of A Rocknroll Dance who reported home first in 1:54.1, a nose to the good of Dance Number for trainer Nicholas Devita and owner John Cummins.
 
B On The Hunt completed a siring double for Huntsville when she lowered her mark to 1:53.4, at the finish a head ahead of EA Audit for driver Marcus Miller, trainer Cory Stratton, and the partnership of Our Three Sons Stable LLC and Stratton Stable Inc. The Stay Hungry filly Relentless Julie sprung a 16-1 surprise in the other Weiss cut, breaking her maiden in 1:52.4 while a neck in front of Team Colors for trainer Travis Alexander, Fiddler’s Creek Stables LLC, and driver Jim Pantaleano.
 
Pantaleano would combine with trainer Brandon Presto to take two divisions of the Game Of Claims Series. The faster of their pair was Friday Night Blues (1:52.2 for a new mark), who was claimed, and Riot (1:52.4), who was not.
 
There were two horses running their record to two-for-two in the GOC: Apple Valley Art (1:53.4, driver George Napolitano Jr., claimed) and Hudsen A (1:54.1, Pat Lachance, not claimed). The other Monday Game Of Claims winner was Howtotrainurdragon (1:52.3, Matt Kakaley, not claimed). 


All three GOC winners who did not post their second straight victory are also undefeated in the series as they didn’t race in the first leg, which may go against them when eligibility for their Championship is tallied.
 
Tuesday’s card at 1 p.m. closes out the racing week at Pocono, and there will be ten races with $20,000 purses: four of them in the first preliminary of the Weiss Series for three-year-old trotting fillies, and six of them in the second preliminary of the Game Of Claims Trotting Series for horses who this week will race with a base-tag price of $27,500. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.  

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Normally the Weiss Series for sophomore trotting males would be the Sunday evening feature during April at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, but that series was rerouted to Saturday night this week to honor the wishes of horsemen who did not want to race on Easter.
 
The Sunday feature race was still for up-and-coming trotters, but it was for overnight horses who have a bit more on their resumes, and the purse was $17,000. Having the most on his recent resume is the Walner gelding TNT Blue Chip, who trotted to his fourth straight win, here in 1:53.4. Anthony Napolitano moved near the :28 quarter, reached the lead and put up fractions of :57.2 and 1:26, then blitzed home in :27.4 to be 1¾ lengths better than a good Frank The Elder for trainer Bruce Clarke, co-owner with Patricia Waldeck.
 
Sombodyitreasure won off the claim for trainer Bryson Dunning and owner Mark Labbree, taking the $16,500 pace for the highest-priced claimers on the ground in 1:51.2. Simon Allard reserved the altered son of Somebeachsomewhere just off a contested pace, rushed to the lead just by the three-quarters, and left his nearest foe, Puzzling, five lengths behind.
 
The meet’s leading driver, Matt Kakaley, visited the winners circle five times on Sunday, twice with a horse trained by the meet’s leading conditioner, Darren Taneyhill.
 
The Weiss Series resumes Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. with five $20,000 divisions of the first prelim for three-year-old pacing fillies; there will also be five $9000 divisions of the second preliminary of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series for horses who will carry a base tag of $12,500 on Monday. Program pages for all Pocono races are or will be available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.