WILKES-BARRE PA – Both Hot Flash Kimmy and Hand Dover Dan toured the Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania oval in 1:54.1 on Saturday afternoon to win their respective $17,000 divisions of the featured trot.
Hot Flash Kimmy was the first to visit the winners circle after charging to the lead down the backstretch and then holding off a late inside move from Partner Dolan by a half-length while taking a new mark. Matt Kakaley guided the successful daughter of Lookslikeachpndale for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
The Dover Dan gelding Hand Dover Dan, now a winner in three of his last five starts, had a protracted duel from first-over with pacesetter Seven Sins before edging out that rival by a head. Anthony Napolitano handled the sulky duties for Hand Dover Dan for conditioner Lance Hudson and owner William Hartt.
The two-year-olds were gathered for their first pari-mutuel event at Pocono in 2024, with colt pacers going after $14,000, and in an exciting race that saw five of the six entrants finish within three-quarters of a length of each other, Alabama Lucky made his purse bow a successful one in 1:57.3. Mark MacDonald kept the Huntsville – B So Lucky colt on the inside, found stretch clearance and held off a determined finish from Sweet Parlay to win by a head. Trainer Ray Schnittker trains the precocious baby, and he also co-owns him with Ma3 Racing Stable.
Fastest mile of the day was the 1:50 recorded by Stone Hanover in the last race on the card. Simon Allard sent the son of Art Major to the early lead and kept him there to the wire, holding off three separate outside challengers along the way for trainer Joe Pavia Jr. and the partnership of Steven Held, John Whitig, Joe Pavia Jr. Stable Inc., and Bridgette Jablonsky.
Tyler Buter topped the day’s drivers with four victories, including one from trainer Ron Burke, the only conditioner who doubled.
Sunday’s 6 p.m. card is headed by two divisions of the $143,200 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes three-year-old trotting fillies in their third preliminary round; the current “Queen” of the division is Elista Hanover, who has won her last six races, including the last four in stakes, two against the Sire Stakes horses. There are also four $20,000 divisions of PA Stallion Series action for this group. Free Pocono programs are available at www.phha.org.