By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Ridge Warren was in the right place at the right time Tuesday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania – and thus he got to drive Dame Good Time, who equaled the world record for older trotting geldings of a 5/8-mile track with a tremendous 1:50.2 victory during the card’s $27,500 fast-class handicap trot.
 
Originally Dame Good Time’s trainer Nick Devita had named Pocono’s leading driver Tyler Buter to handle the Chapter Seven gelding, as Buter had qualified him twice at Pocono, but Buter went with the millionaire Ari Ferrari J (both would go off at 11-10, with the “Dame” having $27 more bet to win). Then at scratch time Andy Miller was named, as he had driven the gelding to two recent top-drawer victories at Philly, but Miller and Team Orange Crush had seven babies in to go during a marathon morning qualifying session at Philly (of which they won four), knocking his timetable askew.
 
So Warren got the drive behind the extremely sharp trotter, and from post five he settled him third as Ari Ferrari J set fractions of :26.4 and :55. Warren right-lined the trotter in the backstretch and the horse responded with a :27 quarter to clear to the lead just after a 1:22.2 three-quarters, then had no trouble in maintaining a safe margin home for owner John Cummins.
 
The 1:50.2 clocking matched the world standard first set by Hillexotic at Philadelphia in 2023 and then equaled at Scioto twice last year, first by Prince Of Honor and then by Oh Love Magic. The 1:50.2 also lowered the local divisional standard set by Sevruga in 2013 by a tick.
 
Co-featured were two $15,500 trots for developing horses, the quicker going to the Walner gelding Night Phantom in 1:53.2, a new mark. It had been 655 days since Night Phantom had last won (August 24, 2024, when he was two), but he had been a good second to the sharp Duicinea Hanover in his first start for trainer Anthony Faulkner and owner Jaypaul Hanover, and after driver Matt Kakaley made an early move to the front with the “Phantom,” the issue was never in doubt.
 
The other subfeature section also was won by driver Kakaley, as the Greenshoe mare Saints Preserve Us set a new mark of 1:55 while returning the longest price of the day, $16.40. Kalaley combined skill with luck behind the Tom Fanning-trained and Joseph Smith-owned trotter, saving ground, then getting an opening when the pocket horse broke late on the far turn, giving them room to use the famous Pocono Pike. The “short route” was enough for Saints Preserve Us to hang a nose decision on the fast-closing favorite Dame On (a bit ironically, a full brother to the new world champion Dame Good Time).
 
The top $15,000 event for claiming handicap horses on Pocono’s “Trottin’ Tuesday” was won by the Walner gelding Abruzzo, powerful in a 1:51.4 victory for driver Simon Allard and trainer-owner Mark Akins that both gave him a new speed badge and tied him as fastest trotter of the year at Pocono with Southwind Arturo and Endurance. Unfortunately, the story didn’t end there: first Abruzzo was claimed for $25,000 and goes to a new home, and then 37 minutes later Dame Good Time’s race went under the wire.
 
Matt Kakaley drove three winners on Tuesday; Braxten Boyd and Ridge Warren had two, while no trainer tallied more than once.
 
After fourteen baby races on Wednesday at Pocono, the pari-mutuel schedule resumes on Saturday at 1 p.m., with the $20,000 featured pace topped by Another C Note, a three-time Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner and undefeated in seven starts this year; eligibility prevented him from trying the big boys in Toronto, so he’ll prepare for future battles here on Saturday. Also on the Saturday card is driver Brett Beckwith, still eighth in the Pocono win standings despite not competing here since his racing injury on April 12 – with the resilience of the young, he’s down to drive in nine of the ten races.
 
Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Fourteen fields of freshmen faced the starting gate in the first full-scale set of two-year-old qualifiers of the season at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Themes set themselves up in the various divisions – driver Andy Miller and trainer Julie Miller were the dominant figures in the trotting action; the team of driver Cory Mumford and trainer Jamie Sullivan posted three 2:00 miles with male pacers, including the fastest mile among all the freshmen; and sire Papi Rob Hanover saw three of his four pacing daughters succeed.
 
Team Orange Crush were connected with three of the four trotting filly winners, the fastest of whom was the Walner – Flyer Mel miss Mrs Rattigan, who went wire-to-wire in 1:59.2, last half a crisp :57.2, for owner Michael Anderson. Two other trotting fillies who won for the Millers include Jula Florence (Chapter Seven – Jula Shes Magic) in 2:00 - :57.3 - :28.3 and the Greenshoe miss Honky Tonk Babe in 2:02.4.
 
There were only two section for male trotters, and the Millers won with the fastest trotter of the day (and just missed the fastest pacer’s clocking by a fifth), the Love You – Southwind Adele colt Adios Amigos Kemp, who flashed successive back quarters of :29 to win in 1:58 for Andy Miller Stable Inc., Arden Homestead Stable, Jean Goehlen, and Adios Amigos Stable.
 
Switching over to the pacing males, Cory Mumford piloted three precocious freshmen to victory for trainer Jamie Sullivan, the fastest of which was the 1:57.4 wire-to-wire victory of Miki’s Big Bang, a colt by Always B Miki – Shebang N who sped home in :56.2 - :27.4 to show his talent for owner James Fleming. The other pair of colt winners for Mumford / Sullivan, both also pacesetters, are owned by the triumvirate of Hamm / Phillips / Chick and are both sons of Stay Hungry: Hungry Marco (dam Always Giggling) in 1:58.1 - :56 - :27.2, and Midnight Drive (dam Turnoffthelights) in 1:58.2 - :56.2 - :27.2.
 
The quickest winner among the three Papi Rob Hanover freshman pacing fillies was Pa Layla (dam Tava), moving past the quarter to the lead for driver Andrew McCarthy and finishing in :57.1 - :28.2 to complete her mile in 1:58.2 for the ownership of Patricia Stables LLC, L A Express Stable LLC, Sjoeblom Racing Inc., and trainer Noel Daley (McCarthy and Dailey also combined with the Captaintreacherous – Bet On Sunday baby distaff Treacherous Bet for a 2:01.2 - :56 - :27.3 tally).
 
Papi Rob Hanover’s other two winners during the Tuesday morning set were JK Alwaysbpositive (dam JK Alwaysbalady, 1:59.4 - :56.3, :27.4) and Ginger Tree Ashley (dam Magic Starlight, 2:00.3 - :57.4).
 
The meet’s leading driver, Tim Tetrick, had a win in three of the four baby groupings, then added two more in the qualifiers for older horses later in the morning.
 
Replays of the Philly qualifiers can be seen at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
​WILKES-BARRE PA – Youthful veteran driver Ridge Warren had to think twice while driving Kinnder Thinktwice in the $16,000 fast-class featured trot at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Monday. He made a good decision both times, and Kinnder Thinktwice got home first in 1:54.2.
 
The Quebec-bred Wheeling N Dealin gelding has useful gate speed, but Warren looked around him as the gate sprang and decided to take back rather than get in an early war, heading to the pylons as first favored The Hazelton and then second choice Diplomacy put up the early numbers of :28 and :56.3. Kinnder Thinktwice, having been first or second in his last three starts, brought good form to the race and Warren moved him out towards the half; no cover materialized for him, so he let his trotter ramble raw to and past the 1:25.3 three quarters.
 
Kinnder Thinktwice validated Warren’s judgment by going to the lead into the stretch, then holding off the Pocono Pike bud of The Hazelton by 1¼ lengths. Susan Marshall trains the newly-minted winner of $300,000+, and she co-owns him with John Marshall.
 
There was a pair of $15,500 events for horses climbing the class ladder. Warren also won the trotting division of the subfeature, getting the Bar Hopping gelding Twofisteddrinker away from the outside post eight and to the lead, going on nicely to win in 1:56 for trainer Gerald Lee Jr. and owner Maryann Rastetter.
 
The distaff pacing subfeature section scratched down to four horses but still provided a good finish, as the Lazarus N mare Shesgotthejack sat in the golden chair behind heavy favorite Precise N, then passed that one late by three parts of a length while stopping the timer in 1:51.3 for driver Anthony Napolitano, trainer Jacob Hartline, and Anatolia Racing LLC.
 
There were also three $12,000 divisions of the second leg of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series, with horses base-tagged at $17,500 this week. All three of the first round winners entered new barns via claim, but none was able to add a second GOCPS victory; indeed, no winners this Monday were claimed, and two of them didn’t even race in the first leg.
 
The only first leg contestant to win Monday was River Ness, who was on the wrong end of a head decision at 40-1 last week, but won the “head shot” Monday in the fastest section, 1:51.4, for driver James Kennedy. Putting themselves directly in contention for the Series Championship were GOCPS newcomers Always Rockin (1:52.3, Matt Kakaley) and Sawyer’s Desire (1:52.4, Simon Allard).
 
Ridge Warren had four sulky successes on Monday; in addition to his feature wins he drove a winner for trainer-father Todd. Anthony Napolitano came home first three times, twice for trainer Jacob Hartline, and Matt Kakaley tallied twice, one of them trainer Scott Di Domenico’s 2997th career win. Lou Pena also had two entrants from his shedrow tally.
 
The draw for Saturday’s card was conducted on Monday, and it was good to see a familiar name on the overnight sheet: Brett Beckwith. The young star, injured on April 12 at Saratoga, has not driven since the accident; the USTA shows him driving Thursday and Friday nights at The Meadowlands, and then at Pocono Saturday. One name Beckwith may not have enjoyed seeing in the Pocono entries is that of the horse next to him in Saturday’s feature – Another C Note, triple PA Sire Stakes winner and undefeated in seven 2026 starts, who wasn’t eligible to “play with the big boys” in Toronto but is keeping sharp with his Pocono outing.
 
Tuesday racing at 1 p.m. closes out the Pocono pari-mutuel week; a good field of fast-class trotters will contest $27,500 in a handicap event. There will also be a carryover into the first race Pick 4 and the last race High 5. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Featured at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania during a Sunday twilight card were a pair of $15,500 paces, one for the top area claimers and the other for developing horses.
 
In the race for horses with a tag, the Art Official gelding Art Of Revenge, who won at 11-1 in this class last week, was given even-money respect Sunday, and he proved worthy of the trust with a victory in 1:51.2. Tyler Buter made two speed moves with the Ron Burke trainee (more on those two horsemen in a little bit) and maintained the advantage to the wire, with the margin a neck over pocketsitter Dracarys Z for the omnipresent Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
 
The Napolitano brothers, Amthony and George Jr., have generated many an exciting two-horse stretch battle to the finish wire at Pocono, but seldom at 17-1 and 35-1, respectively. However, this was just the case in the co-feature for up-and-comers, with Pepe Le Pew being hustled to the front past the quarter by Anthony and then holding off a long uncovered bid from TR’s Maserati Joe and George, with just a head between them at the finish. Ray Schnittker trains and owns the victorious Sweet Lou gelding.
 
Buter, the leading driver at the mountainside oval, guided three winners on the card, all for trainer Burke, who is now tied for the meet lead with Per Engblom at 35, with the Hall of Famer trying for his fifth straight Pocono conditioners crown and sixth in the last seven years. Matt Kakaley also posted three winners on the card, including the one for Engblom that kept him in a tie for the top. Doublers on the twilight card were drivers Anthony Napolitano and trainer Ray Schnittker, combining on Pepe Le Pew.
 
Monday’s 1 p.m. card will have a $16,000 feature race for fast-class trotters, and also the second round of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series, this week offering $12,000 for each of three divisions of horses base-tagged at $17,500. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Twisted Destiny, one of the better three-year-olds of the 2025 campaign, is keeping up his strong form in 2026, as he came uncovered from last and still was able to win the $16,000 featured fast-class handicap pace Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia – the 1999th recorded North American training victory for Hall of Famer Chris Ryder.
 
Chris’s son Patrick got the winning son of Bettor’s Wish away on his own as favored Maximus Miki pressed on to get command by a :27.2 quarter, then went on to the half in :55.1. Twisted Destiny was steaming up uncovered through the third quarter, going his own split in :26.1 to be a length back as “Miki” reached the three quarters in 1:22.3, and Twisted Destiny stayed the strongest horse to the wire to win by 1½ lengths in 1:50.1, with Captain Crusader A, who had been shuffled to last midrace, finishing briskly to photo the favorite for the deuce.
 
Twisted Destiny is now a winner of $531,824 lifetime, with 13 victories in 33 starts. He is owned by Let It Ride Stables Inc., Alberg Racing LLC, Enviro Stables LTD, and Jesmeral Stable.
 
In the $13,000 subclass for the fast-class set, Ayr Dave GB took a new mark of 1:50.2 mark. Scott Zeron got the Sweet Lou gelding underway to have him clear to the front in front of the grandstand the first time, and no one in the talented field could match steps with him late,  with the frequent winner (13-for-41 lifetime) tallying for trainer Joe Bongiorno and owner Mr. Joby Charles Randall.
 
The up-and-coming horses had a trio of $12,000 contests to try to continue their advancement up the class ladder.
 
In the one division for trotters, the Trixton filly Julies Trix could stay in the same class she had just beaten twice because of an “AE” money condition. Julies Trix will now have to leave the classification behind after equaling her lifetime mark of 1:55.2, going to the lead just past the quarter for driver Anibal Borjas and then coming home in :57 to win again for trainer Tony Alagna, whose Alagna Racing LLC co-owns with Joseph Giaramita.
 
Males were featured in the two pacing events in this class, and in the quicker the Bettor’s Wish colt Vizcaya took a new mark of 1:50.2 in defeating favored Louaville. For a moment in early stretch it looked like Vizcaya might be his own worst enemy as he couldn’t be backed up to be tipped wide to circle the favored leader, but Anibal Borjas got the sophomore to business towards midstretch and he went on to win after a 44-day layoff. Most of the connections of trotting winner Julies Trix are also involved in Vizcaya: trainer Alagna and owners Joseph Giaramita and Alagna Racing LLC, here joined in ownership by Ronald Ostrow.
 
In the other pacing class for developing males, Loumelo Ball made a quarter-move and strung out his field, stopping the timer in 1:52 to take a new mark. Tim Tetrick guided the Sweet Lou gelding to his first win of the year for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Libby & Purnel, and Lawrence Karr.
 
Nancy Takter sent out a pair of sophomore trotters by Walner who finished 1-2 in a “nw1” trot: Grand Moni, a $210,000 yearling making his debut, won by a half-length in 1:54.4 over La Mancha, out of the great Manchego. Grand Moni was driven by Tim Tetrick for trainer/co-owner Takter and Stall Droad Inc.
 
The drivers with at least two wins on the card were all aligned with a trainer who nabbed two victories: Scott Zeron won three races, two for Joe Bongiorno; meet leader Tim Tetrick had a trio of sulky successes, two for Ron Burke (those two conditioners are 1-2 in the local tally, in that order); Art Stafford Jr. had two wins, both for Ken Tisa; and the Borjas-Alagna combination has been mentioned above.
 
After fourteen baby races during a marathon qualifying session Tuesday morning, the next betting card at Philly will be on “Trottin’ Thursday,” with speedy trotters from both the veteran and developing ranks having featured events. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org (as will replays of the Tuesday baby races).

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Endurance, the three-year-old trotting colt who was outstanding at two and has continued on at three to be one of the favorites for the Hambletonian, was again impressive at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon, when he won his $50,502 division of the second prelim of his group’s Pennsylvania Sire Stake. Endurance, who gave sire Captain Corey a Sire Stakes credit in addition to the two he earned in Stallion Series competition Saturday, went his mile in 1:51.4, equaling the fastest trotting time of the year at Pocono.
 
Andrew McCarthy, routing his schedule for a cameo appearance in northeast Pennsylvania before going on to Toronto, was away fifth with the winner and stayed in that position as 113-1 shot Oversear blistered early numbers of :26.1 and :54.3. When McCarthy gave the world to Endurance down the backstretch, the horse quickly went into higher gear, and when pocketsitter Geologic moved out late down the back to avoid a pocket shuffle, McCarthy gave no thought to cover and steamed on three-wide to circle to command just past a 1:23 three quarters.
 
No one could go with Endurance through the stretch (Geologic was 3¼ lengths back at the finish), and Endurance looked shut down at the wire. Apex may have gotten the decision in the Mohawk Million and Spencer Hanover just got by in the Oak Grove Derby Final, but trainer Chris Beaver and owners Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming, and Mark Moger has had their horse give no indication that they still shouldn’t be looking forward to Saturday, August 8.
 
The other PaSS division was won by the undefeated Greenshoe gelding Highland Destiny, unraced at two but now perfect in four 2026 starts after a 1:54.1 victory in his $50,102 division. The winner was taken back early by driver Scott Zeron from the outermost post seven after many others inside stepped away well, but after a quarter in :27.4 and just before a half in a pedestrian :57, Highland Destiny started then sustained a big-time uncovered move, going from fifth to first before the 1:25 third split (own third quarter :27.1 raw) and opened daylight.
 
Minoan, who had shown early speed, got stuck behind a tired horse on the far turn as Highland Destiny got a big advantage, but once clear he swung out then back in the stretch inside the leader (who had had only three lifetime starts; a surprise tactic maneuver?). But his steady charge just failed by a head, with Highland Destiny having enough to take the triumph for trainer Nancy Takter and Highland Thoroughbred Farm.
 
As mentioned, Captain Corey sired two of the winners in the three $20,000 Stallion Series sections – which like the Sire Stakes generated no horse who won both his prelims. In the Stallion Series, Tim Tetrick drove two of the three winners, including the fastest in Captain Jordan The colt left for position, quickstepped a :27.2 individual third quarter to clear to command and won by 1¾ lengths in 1:54.3, like the other StS winners taking a new mark. Captain Jordan is owned by Joseph Faraldo and the Triple D Stables Inc. of trainer Scott Di Domenico, now only four wins shy of 3000 career victories.
 
Tetrick and Captain Corey earned another credit with Captainforlife AS, a gelding who won in 1:54.4. Captainforlife As brushed to the lead in front of the stands the first time and went on to win by 3¾ lengths for trainer Anette Lorenzton and ACL Stuteri AB. Rounding out the Stallion Series winners was the International Moni gelding Nose Jammer, who returned 11-1 despite this being his 11th career victory – he was one of the top fair horses in PA at two – after coming up the Pocono Pike to nose out Drambuie Hanover (the first four were within a half- length) in 1:55.2 for driver Andy Miller and trainer Todd Schadel, the latter co-owner with wife Christine.
 
Three years later, the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Ruthless Hanover is still the fastest horse ever on a five-eighth mile track with his 1:46.3 mile at Philly at age six, and at nine he still retains much talent, going to the top in a $20,000 fast-class pace and lighting up the board with splits of :26.2, :54, and 1:20.1 for driver George Napolitano Jr. en route to a 1:48.1 tally, the fastest mile of the year at Pocono. It’s hard to believe that Ruthless Hanover had not already achieved millionaire status, but with this victory the star for Team Cancelliere – trainer Tom and owner John – brought his bankroll to $1,004,989.
We mentioned Endurance as a top contender for the Hambletonian – the big Saturday card also featured a Top Ten contender for the Meadowlands Pace, the Always B Miki gelding Always B Charlie, who won in 1:51.2 on the front end for driver Scott Zeron, trainer Nancy Takter, and Upstart Racing.
Anthony Napolitano was top horseman on the day with three winners; doubles were achieved by drivers Tyler Buter, Tim Tetrick, and Scott Zeron, and trainers Deborah Daguet, Nancy Takter (both driven by Zeron) and Darren Taneyhill (both driven by Anthony Napolitano).
The second of nine consecutive 5 p.m. twilight Sunday cards is the next program at Pocono, with separate $15,500 events for up-and-coming male pacers and for the top claiming pacing horses on the grounds. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The feature race winners at Harrah’s Philadelphia on “Filly And Mare Friday,” which focuses on pacers, had two things in common: they each took a lifetime mark (seven other horses lowered or equaled their mark  in Friday’s  93 degree heat), and they were all guided by drivers who had multiple winners on the card.
 
The feature card of the program, a $13,000 fast-class distaff event, went to the Huntsville mare Strutsville, who won her second straight and as noted lowered her speed badge to 1:51.2. After early numbers of :26,4 and :55 went up on the board, Strutsville brushed from midpack raw down the backstretch, covering her own third split in :26.3 to be aflank of the pacesetter at the 1:22.4 three quarters, and then drew away from the competition. Patrick Ryder drove the winner to her second successive triumph for trainer Ron Coyne Jr. and owners Nancy Retzlaff and Douglas Stout.
 
The $11,500 subfeature for the veteran mares saw the Bettor’s Wish mare Wise Professor go even faster than the feature winner, and in fact the fastest clocking of the day, 1:50.4. Wise Professor was well-positioned during most of the mile, then came on to nip frontstepper Princess Stella by a half length for trainer Per Engblom and owner W Donovan.
 
Wise Professor was driven by eight-time Harrah’s top dashwinner George Napolitano Jr. who went on to score six victories in all Friday. Engblom and Marc Mosher were the only trainers on the day to send out two winners, and George drove all four of their horses.
 
Developing distaffs had their highlight contest in race one, a $12,000 event, which went to the Heston Blue Chip filly Andiamo in 1:52.2. Driver Troy Beyer, who opened the card with a “natural hat trick,” let early smoke clear then moved his charge to the lead past the quarter, and Andiamo was not threatened during a :55.2 back half for trainer Robert Cleary and the partnership of Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Lawrence Rosen.
 
Hall of Fame horseman Chris Ryder was already going to have an exciting weekend, what with trainees Miki And Minnie and Twin B Joe Fresh in separate eliminations of the Roses Are Red Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk – and the excitement level has a chance to rise even higher after he won here Friday with the Captaintreacherous filly Newfound (driven by son Patrick), who set a maiden mark of 1:54.2. Ryder now has 1997 conditioning wins in the USTA’s official statistical tally, which is basically North American and begun in 1991.
 
Sunday’s 12:40 program at Philly will feature millionaire Maximus Miki trying to overcome the outside post six in a $16,000 fast-class handicap featured pace; there are plenty of other top contests for horses both established and up-and-coming. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – They call them “Trottin’ Thursdays” at Harrah’s Philadelphia because that day’s card brings out quality diagonally-gaited horses – this week, in fifteen races, there were ten miles trotted in 1:55f or faster. (That might be a record if somebody kept that sort of thing.)
 
The $14,000 feature trot was won by the Bar Hopping filly Ginger Tree Lex, the winner of her divisional Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship in 2025 but unlucky a bit so far this year. Her fortunes improved greatly during this race, in which she was backed off the gate by driver Andrew McCarthy and let others, particularly pacesetter B Mo, do a great deal of work in a :28.1, :57.1, and 1:25.2 battle, while there were horses three-wide into the first turn and then again from the bottom of the second turn to midway on the far turn.
 
The last wide horse was Ginger Tree Lex, and she had enough in reserve to keep working forward then get by the beleaguered temposetter in 1:54.  Steve Cook trains the classy filly for owners Sam Beegle, Ginger Tree Ventures LLC, Knollview Stable 2, and Robert Reber Jr.
 
The underclass for the younger horses, with a purse of $13,500, was also won by driver McCarthy, using tactics totally different than the ones he used with “Lex.” The Manyofmanymissions gelding Geronimo Trio IT made every pole a winning one, with splits of :28, :57.2, and 1:25.3 preceding his reaching the wire in 1:53.4, just a tick off his mark. Per Engblom conditions the winner of two straight for Tar Heel Racing.
 
Another youngster worth keeping an eye on may be the Walner colt Inexpressable, a $325,000 yearling who looked worth every dollar of that while equaling his mark of 1:53. Trainer Lucas Wallin took a turn in the sulky and sent his horse uncovered during the last half, charging home in :55.4 to win by four lengths. The Commonwealth Series champion in Kentucky at two, Inexpressable is owned by Wallin Racing Stable Inc. and Karin Walter-Mommert.
 
The fast-class trotters were gathered for $13,000, a race won by the Sebastian K S gelding Benjamin Hanover in 1:52, fastest during a day of speedy clockings. Tim Tetrick worked out a pocket trip with his charge, and Benjamin Hanover trotted his last half in :54.4 to ward off a big late surge up the Inside by Ultion Face S by a neck, winning for the 33rd time in his 68-race career for trainer Scott DiDomenico and owner Angela Cornell.
 
Meet leader Tetrick checked home first four times; Corey Callahan, Mark Herschberger, and Andrew McCarthy had sulky success twice. No trainer won two races or more on the card.
 
Philly’s “Filly And Mare Friday” will have the same sort of mix as Thursday’s trotters, with contests for the established and the developing female pacers in the spotlight. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Hambletonian winner Nordic Catcher S, who hadn’t raced since capturing the million-dollar classic last August 2, showed no rust at all from his time away, winning a qualifier by fourteen lengths in 1:55.1 Wednesday at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
 
The four-year-old by Six Pack – That Woman Hanover crossed over to the rail with the lead despite starting from the outside post in about a dozen steps, and trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt may have made the horse think this was just another legging-up mile when the pair reached the first two poles in :29.4 and :59.3.
 
Coming off the second turn, though, the distance between the pacesetter and his opposition started to grow, with the three-quarters reached in 1:28, and then Svanstedt shook the horse up a little on the far turn, with the champion trotter responded with a :27.1 closing quarter while appearing well within himself – a big first step for Team Svanstedt, with Åke Svanstedt Inc. the owner with Little E LLC.
 
In the first baby qualifiers of the season, nine events to open a twelve-race program, Team Svanstedt came out roaring, winning five of the six trots, including a sweep of the filly events. The fastest mile among the freshmen – filly or colt, trotter or pacer – came from Anu, a daughter of Father Patrick out of Senorita Rita, who was the Goldsmith Maid and Kindergarten winner at two and earned over $400G. Anu is looking to race back to her royal parentage, going in 1:58.4 in his first charted line, on the engine with back fractions of :58.3 - :29.1, with Åke driving for AB Svensk Reklamfinans LLC.
 
Åke trains and drove Laurensstrongluck (Muscle Hill – Lucky Ave), a winner in 2:01.4, own last quarter :28.4. Åke would have driven as well as trained all three filly winners, but wife Sarah won by a nose with Emotica (Walner-Jula Emmylou Me) in 2:04.2 over the Åke-driven Eternal Light.
 
Team Svanstedt’s two male winners in the trotting ranks were Easy Down Blonde, a Walner - Hey Blondie colt who finished in :58.1 - :28.1 to win in a 2:00.2 mile, and Hypersonic, a Chapter Seven – Fleur De Hill colt who came home in :29 in a 2:01.3 effort.
 
The horse who stood in the way of a Svanstedt baby sweep was the Captain Corey – Are You Ready colt Celebrity Hunter, who handed Big Time Trot S and the stable their only freshman loss Wednesday with a neck decision in 2:02.1, with the winner closing in :58 - :28.2  for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Hunter Oakes.
 
Kakaley and Oakes also combined on the fastest pacer of the session, the Huntsville – Twin B Fabulous colt Twin B Wildfire, who paced raw in :57 - :28 to complete a 1:59 victory. Todd Schadel trains and drove the other two successful freshmen, both by Papi Rob Hanover: Dragon Flame (dam Dragon Lady Art) to a 2:01.1 - :58 - :28.3 success in the day’s only filly pace, and the gelding Papi Was Right (dam Dabb), who closed in :58.4 - :29.1 to stop the timer in 2:02.3.
 
The Pocono qualifiers can be viewed at www.phha.org.