WILKES-BARRE PA – The hot combination of driver Tom Jackson, trainer Fred Grant, and owner/breeder Russell Williams continued their recent success with two-year-old trotters on Monday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, visiting Victory Lane with a pair of fillies.
There were four $11,700 events scheduled for two-year-olds at the mountain oval, one for each combination of sex and gait. The Bar Hopping-Melusine miss Luisella remained undefeated through two lifetime starts by speeding to victory in her group’s race in 1:56.3, lowering her mark by almost three seconds. Jackson moved Luisella to the lead in front of the stands, circling early pacesetter Rheia Rose, then came home in :28.2 to keep her rival three lengths behind in a very promising outing.
The meet’s leading driver, George Napolitano Jr., had four winners on the card. Tom Jackson visited Victory Lane three times – in addition to the two baby trotting distaffs, he guided the fastest performer of the day, Captain McKee, who now has won three straight after a 1:51 triumph.
The $15,300 events for the classclimbing “nw 8 races” horses will make for a triple feature on Tuesday at Pocono: pacing females in race eight, pacing males in race ten, and trotters in race thirteen. Program pages are available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.