WILKES-BARRE PA – Trotters were in the spotlight during the Sunday twilight card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, including two $12,500 divisions of the first prelim round of Game Of Claims Series for $15,000 base-price horses.
Both Game Of Claims Series produced mild upsets as odds-on favorites faltered. The faster section went to the Break The Bank K gelding Sundancediamond, who left from the outermost post and never looked back in 1:57. Team Pantaleano – driver Jim and trainer Christen – had the winner ready in his seasonal debut and won comfortably; the bad news for the new connections here is that the winner was claimed.
Upcoming conditioned trotters vied in two $17,000 events. The quicker winner was the Swan For All mare Bountiful Brittney, now 2-for-2 at the meet after holding off the big late thrust of favored Spunkin’srocketman by half a length in a career best 1:55.1 under the guidance of Anthony Napolitano. Bountiful Brittney raised her earnings over six figures to $105,857 for trainer John Cabot and owners Howard and Joshua Kauffman.
The Muscle Hill gelding Red Redemption was successful in the other cut of this group in 1:56.4, coming out of the pocket late on the far turn, making the lead, and then withstanding late-clearing Boaster Coaster by the smallest possible margin for driver Simon Allard, trainer Lou Pena, and D Racing Stable Inc. and Yves Sarrazin.
Pocono adds Monday racing at 1:30 to its basic schedule with a 15-race card. The action will feature the first preliminary leg of the Game Of Claims Series for pacers with a basic tag of $10,000 and $7500 – four of the former group, three of the latter. Program pages are available at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.