By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Rocket Deo, one of last season’s top three-year-old pacing fillies, has continued her fine form into her four-year-old campaign, with the Captaintreacherous mare winning the $25,000 fast-class pace for distaffs for the second straight week at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with Monday’s time 1:49.2.
 
Driver Jack Pelling let other foes argue a :26.4 opening quarter, then moved off the first turn to gain control and reach the next two poles in :54.1 and 1:22.2. Others made moves to challenge, but Rocket Deo had all the answers with a :27 last quarter, winning by three lengths. The mare loves to win – she’s won half her ten seasonal starts and half her 32 career outings – and today she ran her lifetime bankroll to $659,454. Jack’s father Brett trains the fleet mare for Morrison Racing Stables and John Fielding.
 
There were a trio of $15,000 co-features for developing horses, two split by sex on the pace and one on the trot. The winner of the pace for males, the Captain Crunch sophomore gelding Captain Luffy, used tactics similar to Rocket Deo’s – let others argue for early command, make a second quarter move to the top, and pace on from there en route to a career best of 1:50.1. Captain Luffy withstood a rush from potential pocket rocket No Tresspassing to prevail by a neck for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Travis Alexander, and Fiddler’s Creek Stables LLC.
 
In the subfeature distaff pace, the Huntsville sophomore filly Calamity Hour followed the cover of first-over Jordanna Hanover, then despite bearing out a bit late was able to run down that game foe to post a neck victory while also lowering her speed badge to 1:51.1. Anthony Napolitano had the sulky duty for trainer Deborah Daguet, whose Daguet Racing LLC co-owns the winner with Donald Mac Rae.
 
In this class’s contest for diagonally-gaited horses, the Muscle Hill sophomore filly Jersey Slide took charge early for driver Braxten Boyd, then kicked home in :28.2 to complete a 1:54.2 victory, her second in her last three starts. Chapvious, the pocketsitter, was within three parts of a length at the finish behind the winner, who was driven by Braxten Boyd, top driver on the day at Pocono with four victories, for trainer Jim Campbell and Runthetable Stables.
 
The Pocono racing week concludes Tuesday with a 1 p.m. card; the whole track is preparing for the $2M+ extravaganza known as Sun Stakes Saturday, featuring both top three-year-olds and free-for-allers, on August 16. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Claiming pacers had the Sunday night spotlight at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with one longtime “fan: of summer racing at the mountain oval accounting for the feature.
 
The eleven-year-old Bettor’s Delight gelding Santafe’s Coach worked out a perfect pocket trip for driver Simon Allard in the top-level $16,000 handicap feature, then came up the Pocono Pike to record a neck victory in 1:51 for trainer Darren Taneyhill and owner Sam Dali., The career winner of $462,456 was a winner of an elimination of the Hempt Pace at Pocono way back in 2017.
 
Santafe’s Coach gets to stay with his connections, but the winners of the three $15,000 co-features for claimers priced just below the feature field all changed hands via the claiming box. The most impressive of this trio was Bullville Stephano, who came identical back quarters of :26.4 to lower his mark to 1:48.3 under the handling of George Napolitano Jr., who swept the subfeatures and recorded ten winners over the Friday-Saturday-Sunday period between here and Philly. The victorious son of Artiscape is now three-for-three in two stints for owner Todd’s Auto and trainer Lou Pena, but in his next start he will be racing for new ownership.
 
The other two winners in the subfeatures were Literl Lad Hanover in 1:51 and Sun Of A Show in 1:51.1. Their trainer on Sunday, Dean Eckley, will now have two spaces in his shedrow to fill after both were claimed; in all, seven horses changed hands for a total of $158,000.
 
Racing continues at Pocono with cards on Monday and Tuesday at 1 p.m. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The rain came to Harrah’s Philadelphia late on the Sunday afternoon card, but not before the two $12,000 feature races for developing horses had been contested over a fast track.
 
The feature for pacing males went to the Lazarus N gelding Avellino, who was moved to the lead in the second quarter by driver Johnathan Ahle and maintained his advantage to the wire, withstanding Meltdown Monte by three quarters of a length while taking a new mark of 1:51.4 for trainer-owner A. Tony Monica.
 
On the trot two longshots were noses part at the wire, as 18-1 shot Last Of Braggart, a Braggart gelding (spellings correct) overcame a first-over journey to hold off Express Pac, the horse on his back, by the smallest possible margin while posting a 1:6.4 clocking, within a fifth of his lifetime mark. Mark Herschberger guided the winner for trainer Britney Dillon and owner Howard Taylor.
 
Doubles were recorded by trainer Izzy Estrada, the track’s leading conditioner, and drivers Johnathan Ahle, Eric Goodell, and Mark Herschberger. Goodell’s two-bagger is worth an extra mention, as the winner of 5896 races in his career had not driven since last November 5 at Cumberland Run.
 
Philly goes back to its three-day-a-week schedule starting this week, with Thursday and Friday cards at 12:25 and Sunday programs at 12:40. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Ron Burke Stable sent out the two winners of $17,000 divisions of the featured trot at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon, Ordained and Seven Reps, while the pacing cut of the top class went to Jamaican Rock A.
Ordained,  a Father Patrick gelding, took his field wire-to-wire in 1:52.4, needing to come home in :55.4 - :27.4 to defeat first-over Mr Bluebird by a head, with favored pocketsitter Whiskey Lou just a neck off from taking it all. Tyler Buter, the meet’s leading driver, teamed with the meet’s leading trainer to win with the winner of $327,381 for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Beasty LLC, and Frank Baldachino.
The Muscle Hill gelding Seven Reps took a new mark of 1:53, coming out of the pocket at 8-1 to down favored pacesetter The Fix Is In by a half length for driver George Napolitano Jr., and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Lawrence Karr, and J&T Silva – Purnel & Libby. “George Nap” and trainer Burke led their respective colonies with three winners each on the afternoon.
On the pace, Jamaican Rock A is now two for two in the United States after whistling through a 1:48.3 mile, coming home in :54 to win by a neck over Iknowbetter for George Napolitano Jr., trainer Scott Blackler, and owner Chad Kowal.
The $16,500 fast-class handicap pace went won by 19-1 prospect Santana Hanover, a $369,605-winning Big Jim gelding who closed strongly from third-over to defeat Congressional by three quarters of a length in 1:49.4 for driver Jack Pelling, trainer Joe Bongiorno, and owners JB Racing, J R Ryan, and Collin Ryan. 
Racing continues at Pocono with a 6 p.m. card on Sunday, followed by 1 p.m. programs on Monday and Tuesday. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – A variety of classes for pacing distaffs took turns in the Friday spotlight at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
 
The quicker split of upwardly-mobile females racing in the $12,000 headliners went to the Courtly Choice mare Verity Blue Chip in 1:52.2. George Napolitano Jr. made two early moves with her to control the pace, threw a :27 third quarter in to leave the opposition well behind, then coasted home for trainer Jeffrey Smith and owner Strideline Racing.
 
The other division of the top feature went to the Papi Rob Hanover filly Ginger Tree Rose, who swept wide off cover on the far turn and paced to a three quarter length victory over Spicy Story while taking a new mark of 1:53.3. Patrick Ryder drove the winner for trainer Steve Cook and owners Sam Beegle, Ginger Tree Ventures LLC, Knollview Stable, and Bob Reber Jr.
 
Three $11,000 sections of a class for freshman pacing fillies were captured by Mama Matcha (Tall Dark Stranger – Krispy Apple), winning her debut in 1:55.3 for pilot Mark Herschberger; another daughter of Tall Dark Stranger who won in 1:55.3, Dark N Tan (dam Podium Girl), now a winner of two straight, with Jack Pelling driving; and Feisty Hanover (Papi Rob Hanover - Fit To Frame), a maiden no more after coming home in :57.2 - :28.3 in a 1:57 journey for George Napolitano Jr. The drivers of the three two-year-old winners each had three victories on the day, as did Patrick Ryder, for a four-way sharing of bragging rights.
 
The Captaintreacherous mare Bellucci, under fire near or on the lead the entire mile, had enough late to withstand a late charge from favored Jett Propelled by a half length to win the $9500 fast-class handicap pace in 1:52.4 for driver Mark Herschberger, trainer Scott Di Domenico, and owner Larry Fischer.
 
Two divisions of the top-level claiming distaffers, racing for $8000, were taken by Princess Arona (driver Jack Pelling) in 1:54, coming her own back half in :55.3, and Pasta Momma (Mark Herschberger), who like Princess Arona made a backstretch move to command in her1:53.2 triumph.
 
Racing resumes at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. There was to be the final Wednesday card of the summer this coming Wednesday (July 30), but that card has been cancelled for lack of entries; the basic Philly racing is now on Thursdays and Fridays at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Excalibur Bi continued successfully on the comeback trail by winning the $13,500 trotting feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon. Corey Callahan  moved to the lead with the son of Muscle Hill in front of the stands the front time and kept command from there, winning as the favorite by two lengths over Manoah in 1:55.
 
Purchased for $210,000 as a yearling, Excalibur Bi was an International Stallion Stake winner at two and set his 1:52.3 mark in his first start at three, but that proved to be the highlight of his sophomore year, and he did not race at four. Team Cancelliere – trainer Tom and owner-brother John – kept faith in the horse, though, and he looks like he has a chance to live up to his early potential.
 
A $13,000 handicap trot for the fast-class set saw Gruesome Twosome enjoy getting away from major stakes competition, overcoming post eight to win in 1:53.1 despite a difficult trip. The son of You Know You Do, an Indiana champion at three and now an earner of $725,153, was wide much of the first quarter before finding a hole, then had to come on from third-over, but the outer flow was lively, and he was able to outfoot Once In A Lifetime, the horse directly in front of him, by three parts of a length. Nancy Takter trains the sturdy winner for Daryl Bontrager and Ira Steinberg; for driver Tim Tetrick, meet leader, the win was one of five on the day.
 
Racing will continue at Philly on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40. The following Wednesday, July 30, was to have been the final Wednesday program, but that scheduled card has now been canceled due to a lack of entries. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Pirate Princess overcame the outside post eight to win the $12,000 pacing feature for distaffs at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Four-time defending Philly dash champion Tim Tetrick, who had four winners in the day to top all horsepeople, hustled the Captaintreacherous sophomore filly away from the outside slot, making the lead near a :27.3 opening quarter. The winner remained largely unchallenged through middle fractions of :56.2 and 1:25.1, but then opposition appeared across the track: Act Classy to the inside, Sheila Sazs and Sweet Odds to her outside. But Pirate Princess was equal to these late threats, with closest rival at the wire Sweet Odds, like the winner 8-5 and the favorite by $12, 1¾ lengths shy. Pirate Princess is trained by Robert Cleary for Royal Wire Products Inc.
 
Pari-mutuel lightning again struck at Philly on Wednesday, as Imkingofthehill hustled home to break his maiden and pay $105.00 for a $2 win ticket. The “King” was the third horse to pay more than $100 to win in the last seven cards, after only one horse had accomplished the feat in the first 38 cards of the 2025 season.
 
Harrah’s Philadelphia will next be hosting its usual diverse and strong “Trottin’ Thursday” program, with a start time of 12:25 p.m. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The fastest claiming trotters racing at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania were gathered for two $13,500 handicap events as the local week came to a close Tuesday.
 
In the quicker section, The American Eagle enjoyed a good trip inside, then swung wide and was along in time to overhaul pacesetter Shinkansen by a neck in 1:54.3. The meet’s leading driver, Tyler Buter, worked out the good trip for the son of Trixton as he won for trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Flying A Race Stable.
 
In the other feature cut, the Muscle Mass gelding Dart Guy posted his second straight win despite elevating in class here, putting everybody in behind him early and then proving uncatchable in 1:55. Anthony Napolitano took the shortest way home with the two length winner for trainer Mata Piotrow and Piotrow Racing LLC.
 
Trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt brought in a pair of two-year-old trotting fillies and fulfilled the bettors’ expectations of them with victories. Kate, a daughter of Gimpanzee – Earn Your Wings, got a bit of a tussle from 20-1 Press before breaking her maiden with a 1:57.2 mile that put her ahead of that rival by a length for S R F Stable; her stablemate Busy Miss Lissy S (Calgary Games – Hill’s Angel S) overcame the outside post eight to win by five lengths in a new mark of 1:57.4 for Panamera Racing.
 
Fastest mile of the day was the 1:51.1 clocking turned in by the Captain Crunch three-year-old pacing gelding Captain Magestic, finishing powerfully to tally for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Doug Dilloian Jr., and owners Andray Farm, Greg Gillis, and Douglas Overhiser.
 
A pair of “bombers” spiced up the late-card action: first driver Steve Smith notched a $72.80 shocker in race nine with All Of A Sudden, and then driver Simon Allard “outdid” that by guiding Whiskey Breath home first to return $120.40 for a $2 win ducat in the eleventh race of Tuesday’s twelve-race card.
 
Since those two races were the bookends of a Pick 3 wager, it’s no surprise that that bet will have a carryover going into Saturday’s fourth race; with Pocono featuring a Pick 5 in the last race, the Superfecta carryover largely precipitated by Whiskey Breath will also carry over, to Saturday’s first race, which is set to go off at 1 p.m.
 
Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.