Photo: Curtis Salonick
By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – A sentence containing the words “Pocono Downs” and “no front-end winners” is quite rare, but speed could not sustain to the wire in any of the fourteen races on Monday’s card at the Mohegan Pennsylvania oval – and only two favorites proved worthy of the crowd’s enthusiasm.
The $15,500 co-featured pace for males had most of its lead facts consistent with the unusual trends of the day. The winner was making his first start of 2026; he was the only three-year-old in the field; he was the winner furthest back at the half, seventh; he posted a new mark and the fastest time of the day, 1:50.3; no horse won his race by a bigger margin; and he paid the biggest win price on the card, $60.40. (Oh, he was driven by Tyler Buter and trained by Ron Burke – so at least two notes of normalcy did register.)
Not that Another C Note hadn’t shown promise as a two-year-old: he finished second, beaten only a length, behind Brandon Blvd’s 1:49.1 at The Red Mile. But in his first start of the year and against good stock, Another C Note was dismissed at long odds, which he promptly ignored, picking up great cover behind Bettor’s Desire as, after initial splits of :27 and :55, that one went head-to-head with 1-9 favorite leader Moneyhill GB to a 1:22.2 three-quarters.
The last-named two continued to battle through the lane, and Lafitte made his bid from the pocket up the Pocono Pike, but it was Another C Note, a Captaintreacherous colt, who shifted on down into overdrive late and won going away by 2½ lengths, with Lafitte, Moneyhill GB, and Bettor’s Desire next in that order at the wire behind the winner, owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Let It Ride Stables Inc., and Scott Dillon.
In the $15,500 co-feature for female pacers, the Sweet Lou mare Point Breeze, who last week made a break in her first start since her Breeders Crown elimination in 2024, was ready for her best and prevailed despite a hard trip in 1:53.2. Anthony Napolitano started her raw from beyond midfield early and grinded up to challenge Churchview Meow IR, taking the favorite through a :26.4 third quarter. Down the lane it was Point Breeze who proved to have the most foot, defeating longshot two-holer Swift Sarabi by a head, with the pacesetter only a neck away from taking it all. Trainer Nicholas Devita and owner John Cummins saw their patience rewarded on Monday.
Many hopefuls for the upcoming Weiss Series, for developing three-year-olds, got in their final preps for the Weiss action that begins this Saturday (April 4)– in fact, one of today’s winners is already back in to go in his division’s first leg Saturday. The Sweet Lou pacing colt Crazy Train got the golden journey in the two-hole and made the most of it to win in 1:52.4 for driver Ridge Warren, stamping himself as ready for the Weiss for trainer Travis Alexander and owner Gino Toscani as one of the day’s two successful chalks.
Through the pari-mutuel chaos, four different Superfectas were unsolved and produced a carryover into their next race; one of those contests was the day’s thirteenth, the last Superfecta of the day, so there will be a carryover into Tuesday’s first race. Other pools starting out with money on Tuesday will be the fourth race Pick 3, which has a double carryover; the fifth race Pick 5; and the last race High 5.
Tyler Buter had three wins as he continues to lead the Pocono drivers while trying to double up on last year’s win title; Simon Allard and Ridge Warren had doubles. On the training side, Ron Burke had two winners (both driven by Buter), as did Travis Alexander.
Tuesday’s 1 p.m. card will be highlighted by a $15,500 trot for those aiming up the classladder, in addition to other three-year-olds looking to be Weiss-bound. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
WILKES-BARRE PA – A sentence containing the words “Pocono Downs” and “no front-end winners” is quite rare, but speed could not sustain to the wire in any of the fourteen races on Monday’s card at the Mohegan Pennsylvania oval – and only two favorites proved worthy of the crowd’s enthusiasm.
The $15,500 co-featured pace for males had most of its lead facts consistent with the unusual trends of the day. The winner was making his first start of 2026; he was the only three-year-old in the field; he was the winner furthest back at the half, seventh; he posted a new mark and the fastest time of the day, 1:50.3; no horse won his race by a bigger margin; and he paid the biggest win price on the card, $60.40. (Oh, he was driven by Tyler Buter and trained by Ron Burke – so at least two notes of normalcy did register.)
Not that Another C Note hadn’t shown promise as a two-year-old: he finished second, beaten only a length, behind Brandon Blvd’s 1:49.1 at The Red Mile. But in his first start of the year and against good stock, Another C Note was dismissed at long odds, which he promptly ignored, picking up great cover behind Bettor’s Desire as, after initial splits of :27 and :55, that one went head-to-head with 1-9 favorite leader Moneyhill GB to a 1:22.2 three-quarters.
The last-named two continued to battle through the lane, and Lafitte made his bid from the pocket up the Pocono Pike, but it was Another C Note, a Captaintreacherous colt, who shifted on down into overdrive late and won going away by 2½ lengths, with Lafitte, Moneyhill GB, and Bettor’s Desire next in that order at the wire behind the winner, owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Let It Ride Stables Inc., and Scott Dillon.
In the $15,500 co-feature for female pacers, the Sweet Lou mare Point Breeze, who last week made a break in her first start since her Breeders Crown elimination in 2024, was ready for her best and prevailed despite a hard trip in 1:53.2. Anthony Napolitano started her raw from beyond midfield early and grinded up to challenge Churchview Meow IR, taking the favorite through a :26.4 third quarter. Down the lane it was Point Breeze who proved to have the most foot, defeating longshot two-holer Swift Sarabi by a head, with the pacesetter only a neck away from taking it all. Trainer Nicholas Devita and owner John Cummins saw their patience rewarded on Monday.
Many hopefuls for the upcoming Weiss Series, for developing three-year-olds, got in their final preps for the Weiss action that begins this Saturday (April 4)– in fact, one of today’s winners is already back in to go in his division’s first leg Saturday. The Sweet Lou pacing colt Crazy Train got the golden journey in the two-hole and made the most of it to win in 1:52.4 for driver Ridge Warren, stamping himself as ready for the Weiss for trainer Travis Alexander and owner Gino Toscani as one of the day’s two successful chalks.
Through the pari-mutuel chaos, four different Superfectas were unsolved and produced a carryover into their next race; one of those contests was the day’s thirteenth, the last Superfecta of the day, so there will be a carryover into Tuesday’s first race. Other pools starting out with money on Tuesday will be the fourth race Pick 3, which has a double carryover; the fifth race Pick 5; and the last race High 5.
Tyler Buter had three wins as he continues to lead the Pocono drivers while trying to double up on last year’s win title; Simon Allard and Ridge Warren had doubles. On the training side, Ron Burke had two winners (both driven by Buter), as did Travis Alexander.
Tuesday’s 1 p.m. card will be highlighted by a $15,500 trot for those aiming up the classladder, in addition to other three-year-olds looking to be Weiss-bound. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
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