By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – On a day at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania when the weather more resembled the last day of March than the last day of May, the Always B Miki gelding Dublin Dasher continued his winning ways with a 1:52.2 victory over “sloppy” going in the $17,000 feature for developing male pacers.
 
Dublin Dasher, the favorite, sat in the pocket behind Boston Rocks, the second choice, as that one put up splits of :27.4, :56.1, and 1:24.1, with first-over Beach Bum Parley up to get into the fray at the last-named station. In the stretch those two were joined by Dublin Dasher in the Pocono Pike, and the Dasher had the most late kick to win by two lengths, with Beach Bum Harley winning a photo for second. Hunter Oakes trains the winner of three of six this year and ten of 25 lifetime for Alan Johnston and H O Racing Inc.
 
Dublin Dasher was driven by Tyler Buter, Pocono’s leading driver and someone who will be sorry to see May end. Buter won 51 races here during the month, including at least one every day of the sixteen cards in which he competed at the mountain oval.
 
Trotters were featured in two $16,000 events for horses a level below the feature performers. The Fix Is In, an International Moni gelding who was two for three this year including a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes win, was still dismissed at 39-1 by the wagerers, and indeed he was seventh much of the way. But trainer-driver Charlie Norris rallied him from way back to win by a head over Lefties Righties in 1:54.3 for owners Carrie Norris and Max J. Hempt.
 
In the other spotlight trot, Team Wiest finished 1-2, as 41-year-old trainer Justin Wiest and Hey Therbartender caught favored Attis Rock, trained by Justin’s grandfather Don, who’s 94 years young, in 1:57.4 over the off going. The victorious altered son of Bar Hopping is owned by Paul Britcher Jr. and Debra Jo Britcher.
 
Braxten Boyd punched and George Napolitano Jr. counterpunched en route to both drivers winning four times in the first eleven races – Boyd would win a race, and three times Napolitano won the next race; in the other, it took George two races to catch back up to Braxten.
 
Then came the twelfth and last race, the $16,500 fast-class pace. Favored Maxim Hanover took the two-hole behind Combustion (Napolitano), who would not cede the lead to the challenging Hazeville (Boyd). Combustion maintained the lead into the stretch, but looked ripe for the plucking by Maxim Hanover; instead, Combustion, a $539,110-winning son of Captaintreacherous trained by Doug Dilloian Jr. for David Linker, Brian Loman, and Robert Venable, maintained a nose advantage in a 1:50.3 mile to give the day’s honors to Napolitano.
 
The Saturday card started an excellent week of Pocono racing in which seven of the top ten moneywinning trainers in North America are participants, including the top five – Ron Burke, Per Engblom, Jeff Cullipher, Cory Stratton, and Travis Alexander are joined by Scott Di Domenico and Joe Bongiorno. There will be a Sunday card at 6 p.m., and then racing on Monday and Tuesday beginning at 1 p.m. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org. 

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – After a third (from post ten) in the Breeders Crown Final and a second (to divisional champ Miki And Minnie) in the Three Diamonds Final at two, the Captaintreacherous filly Rodeo Drive Deo appears to have lost little of her speed in the transition from freshman to sophomore, winning Friday’s $14,000 pacing feature for distaffs at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
 
David Miller was content to sit fourth as Manhattan Project carried the field past a :27.3 quarter and a :56.3 half, but “RDD” was soon on the move off the second turn, and before the final turn arrived she had reached the lead via an individual :26.4 quarter as the timer flashed 1:24.2. Rodeo Drive Deo then tacked on a :27.1 final quarter to leave Royally Hot, who had followed her cover, behind by 2½ lengths at the 1:51.4 finish. Bright days appear on the horizon for the swift miss, who is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Beasty LLC, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.
 
Beckoning Yankee, a sophomore daughter of Tall Dark Stranger who won her division’s Weiss Series Consolation at Pocono, added Lasix for the $12,000 co-feature and was a 3½ length winner in a career best 1:52.4. A flurry of front-end activity found Beckoning Yankee going to the lead just before the half, but she had no further difficulty the rest of the way in winning for driver David Miller (giving him a sweep of the features), trainer Nifty Norman, and the partnership of Pinske Stables, Yankeeland Partners LLP, and Lawrence Means.
 
Trainer Gregory Bowden, a 41-year-old from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, got the first training win of his young career when The Future Is Here stacked widest headstretch after being dead last and paced by everybody for a 1:53.1 win under the guidance of Patrick Ryder.
 
Tim Tetrick won four races to open a bit of distance atop the local drivers standings.
 
The Philly racing week ends with a 12:40 card on Sunday, with features for developing horses on both gaits along with high-level paces for both the fast-class crew and the top claimers on the grounds; there will also be a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – A variety of feature-level events showcased a wide array of talent on Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
 
The $13,500 featured trot for developing horses saw a fierce three-way stretch duel go to the Bar Hopping sophomore gelding Cheers Hanover, as he lowered his mark to 1:53.2. David Miller positioned his charge third early as early leader Excalibur Bi yielded to favored Hillookin past the :28 quarter, and that trio sat 1-2-3 through the middle splits of :57 and 1:25.2, with nobody from behind them getting in the picture.
 
Midway on the far turn, Excalibur Bi vacated the two-hole to challenge the leader, giving Cheers Hanover and Miller the room they needed up the inside. 50 yards out any of the three looked in position to take it all, but where it counts Cheers Hanover just managed to catch Hillookin by a nose, with Excalibur Bi battling on to miss taking it all by a neck. Cheers Hanover (the biggest-priced winner of the day at $14.20) is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jim Simpson, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.
 
Although just coming up shy with Hilllookin in the feature, the Trond Smedshammer barn and owner Purple Haze Stables LLC did nothing else wrong, finishing with three wins and a second, with Trond handling both winners of the two of four $12,000 subfeature events devoted to trotters, both with sophomore fillies.
 
The faster of those two was the Cantab Hall miss Tabdone, a close second choice to favored Honolulu Hanover (and the only Smedshammer non-chalk of the day), who sat in the golden chair behind that one then trotted smartly up the inside to reduce her mark to 1:54.2 in defeating the temposetter by 1½ lengths. Smedshammer’s other win in this class was notched by the Gimpanzee diamondgaiter Winnpanzee, who’s now taken two straight after storming home from sixth at the three quarters, going her own final fraction in 27.3 to win by 1½ lengths over pacesetting Messenger Hanover, who photoed Hatfield for second.
 
Smedshammer, who also put a maiden mark of 1:56.3 on the Chapter Seven filly Shonda for Purple Haze, vaulted to the meet lead in training victories, having won thirteen times already – and here’s his entire Philly training stat line: 22-13-6-1-.758!
 
The three-year-old Always B Miki filly Found, full sister to 2023 Horse of the Year Confederate and coming off a 1:49.2 seasonal debut, did not have to go that much to win her second straight in the subclass’s division for distaff pacers, but she was certainly still impressive in a 1:52.1 mile. Jack Pelling moved the talented miss out of fourth midbackstretch to go after Lyons Benz, who had gotten a soft half on the lead, and Found went successive back quarters while raw of :27.2 and then :27.1 to catch a resilient Lyons Benz by three quarters of a length. Brett Pelling trains the stakes (and broodmare) hopeful for Diamond Creek Racing.
 
The male pacers subfeature went to Odds On Wildfire, who fronted the field throughout en route to an 2½ length win in 1:52, coming home with a pair of :27.4 quarters. Geovany Hernandez, a provisional driver, also trains and owns the hot Bettor’s Wish three-year-old gelding, who has put away earlier behavioral problems during his streak.
 
Eurobond pushed his career earnings to $802,635 with his 49th career victory, a 1:54 tally in the $11,000 fast-class trot. Now a winner of two straight and three of his last four, the veteran son of Love You was sent right to the lead by driver Andrew McCarthy, and despite drifting out a bit in the lane Eurobond remained game to win by a half length over Canadian invader Djimon for trainer Per Engblom and Morrison Racing Stables.
 
It wasn’t just Smedshammer who had a big afternoon at Philly: Todd McCarthy topped the colony with five driving triumphs, two of them for trainer Jill Roland, the only conditioner with multiple wins besides Trond.
 
Pacing distaffs on the ascendancy of the class ladder will be highlighted on Friday’s 12:25 p.m. program at Philly, with $14,000 and $12,000 events showcasing these fillies and mares who hope to be on their way to better things. The racing week will then close Sunday with a 12:40 p.m. card. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – After having recorded just two victories over a period of 777 days, the Credit Winner gelding Quiksilvr Bluechip has now won two races in the last seven days after fashioning a career-best 1:53.1 while winning the $16,000 featured claiming handicap trot at Pocono Downs at Mohean Pennsylvania on Tuesday afternoon.
The career winner of $516,789 stayed third-inside as there was a fierce battle on the front end through splits of :26.3, :55, and 1:23.3. Quiksilvr Blue Chip came off the rail on the far turn and chased down the pacesetting Wallet by 1¼ lengths for trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Carmen Iannacone.
(And if you were wondering about Chapolier, who became the winningest trotter in North America this year by winning eleven straight races, most at this level, at Pocono, he was claimed last time, and will try to extend his winning ways in the Open handicap at The Meadows during a Friday twilight card.)
Quiksilvr Blue Chip was driven by Tyler Buter, who in all won six times during the Tuesday card, including twice for both Oakes and Ron Burke, who leads the local training colony with Oakes just behind him. Buter, who already has a seasonal lead of some thirty wins and is threatening to break up the 15-year duopoly that George Napolitano Jr. and Matt Kakaley have held on the Pocono dash crown, will certainly be sorry to see the last card of May at Pocono on Saturday, as during the 15 days of the month he has raced at the mountain oval, Buter has notched fifty victories – more than three a day on average.
Doing almost as well as Buter on the Tuesday program were trainers with their eyes on the claiming box. A total of five claiming races were programmed, and four of the five winners of those races, including Quiksilvr Blue Chip, will be changing barns for their next race. Ten horses were claimed for $172,500 on the card, running the seasonal figures to 232 claims resulting in $4,396,250 changing hands.
The next card at Pocono is the aforementioned Saturday program at 1 p.m., which will feature races for developing horses of both gaits and a fast-class pace. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Two daughters of Greenshoe accounted for two of three $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for three-year-old trotting fillies at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon, with Goodgirl Bi IT (1:53.3) and Princess Jackie (1:54.2) both taking new marks as the favorites in winning their sectors. The other winner was the International Moni miss Payback Moni, who recorded a mild upset in 1:55.1.
 
Goodgirl Bi IT waited in third as Shes A Shoe In recorded splits of :26.4, :55.4, and 1:25 in their All-Stars sector, with driver Mattias Melander finally going to the right line mid-far turn, and the winner sprinting past the pacesetter to win by 4½ lengths. Mattias’s brother Marcus trains the winner of three of four 2025 starts for Courant Inc.
 
Princess Jackie, a three-time winner in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes competition last year, recorded her first win of this campaign in her cut, as Jim Marohn Jr. put her on the engine and laid down fractions :27.4, :56.4, and 1:25.1 before defeating Mean Dareen by three lengths. Princess Jackie now has a career bankroll of $211,383 for trainer-owner D. R. Ackerman.
 
Payback Moni found herself in a bit of an unfortunate spot early, three-wide in a four-way battle for the lead well into turn one, but the inside and outside horses made breaks before the quarter, letting driver Brady Brown settle his filly into the two-hole behind Country Victory just past a :27.4 first split. After a :57.2 half, Brown moved Payback Moni out and past the leader before a 1:26 three-quarters, but that opponent (the only other one in the race who didn’t misstep) proved resilient, and the winning margin was a length for the Steve Schoeffel-trained filly, undefeated in four 2025 starts for the ownership of Kathy Schoeffel, Daniel Goehle, and James Reuther.
 
Two distaffs of the opposite gait impressed in $16,000 co-features. The Captaintreacherous mare Stonecoldtreachery was never caught in a mile producing fractions of :27, :55, and 1:22.2 before the finish time of 1:49.2, a new mark for the Andy Miller-driven, Juan Cano-trained filly who is owned by Hot Lead farm.
 
The Papi Rob Hanover sophomore filly Asphalt, coming of wins in PA All-Stars and Home Grown events, overcame the tough tuck then first-over route in a 1:51.1 success, coming her own last quarter in :26.4 for driver Jack Pelling, trainer-father Brett, and owner Margaret Dey. Both the pacing mares were heavy favorites.
 
Pocono will conclude its racing week Tuesday with a card beginning at 1 p.m. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA -- $261,766 was on the line Sunday in the Pennsylvania-sired competition for three-year-old pacing males that was a portion of the “undercard” of Super Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with Louprint continuing as the king of the division with his third straight victory in PaSS preliminaries.
 
 
SIRE STAKES
 
The Sweet Lou colt Louprint, Dan Patch Award winner among freshman pacing males last year, retained the top rung at three with his third Sire Stakes win in as many starts in an undefeated campaign, gaining from the pocket to catch pacesetter Fallout by a “deceptive” half length in 1:50.2.
 
Fallout, second choice to favored Louprint, drew just inside him, and he left with enough alacrity to encourage driver Ron Wrenn Jr. to take the pocket, whereupon the pacesetter put up pedestrian fractions of :28, :56.1, and 1:24. Louprint had come home in :26.1 without much encouragement in winning  a PaSS at Pocono last week, and the powerful late burst of the champion colt again carried the day here, as he again paced his own last quarter in :26.1 to defeat the gallant Fallout for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Phil Collura, and Larence Karr.
 
Twisted Destiny, a Sire Stakes winner at The Meadows who then gained into Louprint’s :26.1 last quarter at Pocono while his six-race win streak over two years was halted, got back on the winning track while upsetting favored Captain Optimistic in a 1:49.4 Sire Stakes division. Todd McCarthy had the Bettor’s Wish colt winging off the gate to lead before a :26.4 opener, then yielded to brushing Captain Optimistic, in his seasonal debut, and sat behind him through midfractions of :54.3 and 1:22.2.
 
Twisted Destiny was rightlined for the final eighth and quickly got a small advantage; with Captain Optimistic holding gallantly, the margin of victory was three parts of a length. Chris Ryder is the trainer of the super-sharp pacer for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Alberg Racing LLC, and Enviro Stables LTD.
 
Bettor’s Wish picked up a second Sires credit in the Sire Stakes when Wedlock Blue Chip came out of the pocket to win his second straight Sires contest, lowering his mark to 1:50.3 under the guidance of David Miller for trainer Polie Mallar.
 
Favored Railroad Station was put right on the choo-choo and froze the timer with splits of :27, :55.4, and 1:23.2, with Miller able to get right behind the leader with Wedlock Blue Chip. The two-holer moved outside entering the stretch and quickly took the measure of the leader, winding up 1¼ lengths clear. The Miller-Mallar braintrust scored the victory for owners Richard Cortese and Donald Hawk.
 
 
STALLION SERIES
 
The Tall Dark Stranger gelding Delray Beach reduced his lifetime mark to 1:50.2 despite having to go first-over against pacesetting chalk Lou’s Albano. The winner paced his own last half in :53.4 without cover in winning by 1¾ lengths over pocketsitter Federer. Josert Fonseca drove the Nancy Takter-trained three-year-old for Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, and Morrison Racing Stables.
 
Another son of Papi Rob Hanover, the colt Sugar Man, was looped early but pressed on to the lead for driver Tim Tetrick, got some respite during quarter two, then breezed home in :54.3 to lower his mark to 1:50.4. The choice of the bettors, Sugar Man succeeded by 2¼ lengths for trainer Brett Pelling and owners David McDuffee, Melvin Hartman, and Rojac Stables.
 
Tall Dark Stranger got a third StS siring credit with the colt Banderas, who was parked most of a :26.4 quarter to gain control, set the pace under the handling of Scott Zeron, then withstood the stretch bid of favorite Snack Attack by a half length in 1:52, last quarters twin :27.4s. Tony Alagna trains the winner for Brittany Farms LLC, Riverview Racing LLC, Steven Head, and Pryde Stables Inc.
 
Fusion brought trainer Brett Pelling a second Stallion Series win when the Always B Miki colt won his seasonal debut in 1:51.2. Driver Todd McCarthy kept the seasonal debutant third off a :26 first quarter duel, then moved him to the lead midrace and went on to be an easy three length winner for Diamond Creek Racing.
 
Compensate Me  sat a good pocket trip, came out at headstretch to challenge, made the lead, then withstood the strong late bid of Damn The Torpedoes by a length in 1:52.3 while pacing his own back half in :55.1. The Sweet Lou gelding was handled by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ron Burke and the ubiquitous duo of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
 
A second son of Sweet Lou, the gelding Fateful Twist, pulled a major upset in another division, overcoming a first-over journey to take a new mark and return $134.40 to his scattered backers. Odds On Outlier, the only winner in the first two legs of the Stallion Series and the heavy favorite, needed three-eighths of a mile to reach the top, and he may just have paid the price late as Dexter Dunn, who seldom is sent off at 66-1, guided Fateful Twist home first by a head for trainer Jake Huff and owners Carlo Angelillo and Cusimano Stables LLC.


Sweet Lou completed his own StS triple with the gelding Odds On No Limit, who got to loaf to the half in :57.3 before streaking home in an amazing :53.2 to complete a 1:51 mile, take a new mark while winning by 2 1/2 lengths, and put up his second Stallion Series win. Todd McCarthy had the sulky duties for trainer Travis Alexander and the ownership of Odds On Racing and UFO 2.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Art Major gelding Belmont Major N, after getting a big second quarter breather, prevailed in the $16,500 claiming handicap pacing feature Sunday evening at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
 
A career winner of $430,596, Belmont Major N left from the outside post and still secured the lead, though there was a :26.1 price to pay for the top. But then the pacesetter was able to get to the half in :56.1, a fraction which made the winner of two out of his last three tough to catch. After the field passed the three-quarters in 1:23, it proved to be second-over Intimidation who would pose the biggest threat to the winner to the finish, but that one’s closing kick left him three-quarters of a length short of Belmont Major N in the 1:50.4 mile.
 
The victory was the third straight on the card for driver Anthony Napolitano, which gave him the evening’s honors; his triple was bookended by successes for trainer Lou Pena and owner Todd’s Auto.
 
Three-year-old trotting fillies will go for $30,000 in each of three divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event during Monday’s 1 p.m. card, with Ms Prada, Goodgirl Bi IT, and Blueberry entering their respective contests in the favorite’s role. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – A pair of $16,000 contests, one on each gait, headed the card Saturday afternoon as Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania opened up a four-day racing week. And all-time Pocono driving champion George Napolitano Jr. held the hot hands, producing six winners on the 12-race card, including in both feature races.
 
The pacing feature, for fast-class performers, saw Maxim Hanover not able to find a first-turn hole (shut by eventual winner Southwind Celsius and Napolitano), so he had to go on past the favored Miki Shan N, used hard well past the :27.1 opener before hitting the top, then getting to the half in :55.2.
 
Into the backstretch Miki Shan N came up paceless, allowing first-over Chimichurri N into the pocket and putting “second-over” Southwind Celsius uncovered. The victorious son of Captain Crunch had the pedal to the metal to clear to the inside midturn after the 1:23 three-quarters, only to have Maxim Hanover find a late surge of pace to rebound to within a head in the 1:50.3 mile. Nicholas Devita trains the winner for owners David Hamm, Glenn Phillips, and Pit Bull Stables LLC.
 
The trotting event was for developing horses, and it was won by a shipper from The Meadows, the Southwind Frank gelding Tenforthebigguy, who overcame a tough trip to equal his lifetime mark of 1:54.1. The “Big Guy” was out past the :26.4 quarter before finding a pylon spot third, then soon after the :55.4 half he was right-lined by “George Nap”  and advanced first-over. Going to the lead past the 1:24.3 three-quarters, he then had to hold off the Pocono Pike charge of potential pocket rocket Kovu As by three parts of a length for trainer Scot Davidson and the ownership of Randy’s Lawn Care.
 
Napolitano also posted the fastest clocking of the card, a 1:50 success with Combustion, a son of Captaintreacherous who went to the lead off the first turn and didn’t have an anxious moment thereafter for trainer Doug Dilloian Jr. and owners David Linker, Brian Loman, and Robert Venable.
 
When racing resumes at Pocono Sunday night at 6 p.m., there will be a carryover into the Pick 5 wager. Monday’s 1 p.m. card will feature three $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars contest for three-year-old trotting fillies, and the week’s racing concludes with a Tuesday 1 p.m. program. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – A pair of $12,000 contests for developing younger horses topped the Friday afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
 
In the pacing headline, restricted to females, Lyons Benz was successful in her second start of 2025, winning in 1:52.3 for trainer Jim King Jr. and owner Threelyonsracing. There was a three-way battle for the early lead, with geometry the deciding factor as Karma (post one) put Beckoning Yankee (post three) and Lyons Benz (post four) in behind her in a :26.4 opener, then went to the half in :55.4 and the three-quarters in 1:24. Four-time defending Philly driving champion Tim Tetrick moved Lyons Benz uncovered before the far turn, and the favorite had the most pace late, with Beckoning Yankee coming up the inside to edge Karma, the second choice, for second.
 
On the trot, after the track had been rerated from “fast” to “sloppy” due to midcard rain, the Greenshoe sophomore gelding Greenma once again showed his high turn of speed, winning in 1:54.4 for a new mark. Trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer was content to sit third with the winner of three or four local starts as Fave Guy set fractions of :28.3 and :58.2, then increased the tempo to 1:26.3 to the three-quarters just as Greenma started his big bullrush move (his own third quarter in :27.2). Greenma got by the pacesetter midway on the far turn, but then was battling back late, with the margin of victory for the Purple Haze Stables LLC-owned winner a half length.
 
Tim Tetrick wound up with three wins on the day to double his lead for the season over George Napolitano Jr. from one to two in “The Eternal Philly Battle”; joining “George Nap” in guiding two winners were Corey Callahan and Andy Miller.
 
The next racing at Harrah’s Philadelphia, beginning at 12:40, is perhaps the best card yet featured at a North American track in 2025 – “Super Sunday,” with Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh back to defend her title in the $100,000 Betsy Ross Pace for mares; two-time defending champion Ruthless Hanover taking on 2024 divisional champion Abuckabett Hanover in the $100,000 Joseph Auger Memorial Pace; and Swedish imports Antognoni S and Aetos Kronos S starting from posts one and two respectively in the $100,000 Maxie Lee Memorial Trot. The top Pennsylvania-sired three-year-old pacing males, including last year’s divisional awardwinner Louprint, will be in action throughout the card in Sire Stakes and Stallion Series racing. And there will be a $10,000 guaranteed Pick 4 pool for the race containing Louprint joined with the three Invitationals. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.