WILKES-BARRE PA – Keg Stand and Global Pandemic were the winners in two $37,500 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event for two-year-old trotting colts at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Monday afternoon, as the freshmen saw their first stakes action at the mountain oval in 2021.
Keg Stand, a colt by Bar Hopping – Palm Beach Bi, was kept just off the upfront action by Dexter Dunn as Big Miles gave way to S I P nearing the :28.1 quarter; Whiskey Hanover came out in front of the stands and took over the top before the :58.1 half. Dunn moved Keg Stand first-over and was in gear going to the 1:27.1 three-quarters, and through the stretch Keg Stand had too much while finishing his mile in 1:55.4 for a maiden mark. S I P rallied for second, 1¼ lengths behind Keg Stand, who is trained by Nancy Takter for Black Horse Racing, Christina Takter, and John Fielding.
On the eleven-race Monday card, if it wasn’t a stakes race, chances were – literally – that driver Marcus Miller won it, as Miller paraded back five winners to Victory Lane, moving him into a tie for fourth with Tyler Buter in the local drivers standings.
The usual three $15,300 end-of-the-week features for the developing younger horses are in place for the Tuesday program, with one division each for pacing males, pacing females, and trotters. Program pages for the 12:30 card are available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.