Wilkes-Barre, PA — The financial lure of $2,300,000 in purses, plus in many cases divisional bragging rights, have attracted many of harness racing’s stars to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania this Saturday afternoon for its biggest card of the year, Sun Stakes Saturday. The 14-race program, starting at 2:30 p.m., is bringing to the mountain oval many of the best horses in North American harness racing, both this year and in recent campaigns.
The major format of the day is as follows: each of the four divisions of 3-year-olds, separated by sex and gait, are seeded by their money earnings in 2024, with a maximum of eight horses per field. The two stakes for males, the Earl Beal Memorial Trot and the Max C. Hempt Memorial Pace, will race for $300,000, $200,000, and $100,000 in three races for each respective group as sorted by seasonal money winnings. The James Lynch Memorial Pace and Delmonica Hanover Trot, the companion events for fillies, have $250,000-$125,000-$75,000 sections, also separated by 2024 earnings.
There will also be $100,000 Invitationals for the top older horses on both gaits: the Always B Miki Pace and the Sebastian K S Trot, named after the co-fastest pacer and fastest trotter ever at Pocono.
Here is a brief look at the top horses in the major contests on the Sun Stakes Saturday card, per event:
EARL BEAL MEMORIAL TROT ($300,000 division race 13; $200,000 division race 9, $100,000 division race 3):
T C I, the richest 2-year-old trotter ever ($1.2 million) and a major force in the division this year, will be looking to bounce back from a fifth in the Hambletonian final, in which he was involved in a fast pace in a rainstorm and tired. The Cantab Hall colt will start from post four for driver David Miller and trainer Ron Burke.
Amazing Catch (post two, driver Dexter Dunn) was third in the Hambo final despite post ten, and he should like the move inside for the Åke Svanstedt barn, well-represented on Sun Stakes Saturday. Sig Sauer also gets a post move inside (from eight to three) off an unlucky fourth in the Hambo final for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Noel Daley.
MAX C. HEMPT MEMORIAL PACE ($300,000 division race 12; $200,000 division race 8, $100,000 division race 4):
Probably the “hottest” horse in all of harness racing right now is the Huntsville colt Legendary Hanover, who comes to Pocono off three straight giant victories: a 1:48 Meadowlands Pace elimination in which he paced his last quarter in :24.4, followed up by the two fastest miles in North American harness racing this year: a 1:46.3 open-length victory in the Meadowlands Pace final, and a 1:46.2 speed show in the Cane Pace. Owned by Eric Good, West Wins Stable, and Mark Dumain, Legendary Hanover will be starting from post seven for trainer Anthony Beaton and driver James MacDonald.
Mirage Hanover shows an incredible last split of :24.3 in winning on June 29, but he faces a tough road from the outside post eight for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jake Leamon. 2023 divisional champion Captain Albano (post five, driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Noel Daley) and 2023 Breeders Crown final winner Gem Quality (post three, driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Chris Ryder) will enjoy having an inside starting advantage over the top two.
JAMES LYNCH MEMORIAL PACE ($250,000 division race 10; $125,000 division race 6, $75,000 division race 2):
Rocket Deo and My Girl EJ have developed an intense rivalry near the top of this section, and Rocket Deo has an edge Saturday as she starts from post two for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Brett Pelling, and owners Morrison Racing Stables and John Fielding. The daughter of Captaintreacherous comes into the Lynch off three straight wins, including a success over My Girl EJ in a Pennsylvania Sire Stake last week.
But it would be wrong to count out the Sweet Lou filly My Girl EJ, driven by Dexter Dunn and trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, trainer Burke, and Elizabeth Novak. She always is in the thick of the fight no matter her trip — and her trip may be her biggest worry as she starts from post seven.
DELMONICA HANOVER TROT ($250,000 division race 11; $125,000 division race 7, $75,000 division race 1):
The International Moni filly Elista Hanover, driven by David Miller and trained by Annie Stoebe, also co-owner with R. Lynn and Philomena Curry, had moved to the top of this class with ten straight victories, but then she picked a bad race to come up dull — the Hambletonian Oaks final. She’ll be looking to rebound as she begins from post position number two.
The Hambletonian Oaks final was won by Warrawee Michelle with one steady grinding move, but the trip facing her at Pocono from post eight for driver-trainer Åke Svanstedt figures to be difficult. Second in the Oaks was Buy A Round, and she may have a much easier go of it beginning from the rail for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Noel Daley
ALWAYS B MIKI PACE ($100,000; race 14):
No one has jumped up and claimed leadership of this division so far in 2024; the Always B Miki may be just the springboard a contender needs to stake his credentials.
Ruthless Hanover (post five, driver George Napolitano Jr. for trainer Tom and owner John Cancelliere) established the all-time record for a five-eighths-mile track when he won the Auger Memorial at Philly last year in 1:46.3, and he has wins in 1:47.1f and 1:47.2f to his credit already. The altered son of Somebeachsomewhere missed just a length after setting a fast pace in the McKee Memorial last time out, and here returns to his favorite size oval.
Allywag Hanover (driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Brett Pelling) is the defending Always B Miki winner, but his task is made no easier by starting from post seven. Starting from the rail will help the chances of Ken Hanover (driver David Miller, trainer Polie Mallar), who won the Hempt Consolation I a year ago on Sun Stakes Saturday.
SEBASTIAN K S TROT ($100,000; race 5):
If the free-for-all pacing group hasn’t produced a clear favorite for “top dog” yet, the free-for-all trotting ranks have: the Walner mare Jiggy Jog S, with her $2,425,467 in lifetime earnings and undefeated three-for-three campaign this year. Her races have been spread apart for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Åke Svanstedt, also co-owner with Steve Stewart, John Lengacher, and Hickory Hollow Stables, and with her coming back after a rousing 1:49.2 win in the Cashman only two weeks ago, her current sharpness may help her overcome even post seven.
The horse starting just inside her could be her greatest obstacle: Lexus Kody (driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Ron Burke), who on Hambletonian Day, while Jiggy Jog S was winning the Cashman, took the Vincennes Trot despite a tough journey in 1:49.4.
The Sun Stakes Saturday supercard will also have four guaranteed pools in multi-race bets, in conjunction with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program:
Starting in Race 1 — $10,000 Guaranteed Pool in the Early Pick-4 wager
Starting in Race 5 — $5,000 Guaranteed Pool in the Pick-5 wager
Starting in Race 9 — $5,000 Guaranteed Pool in the Late Pick-3 wager
Starting in Race 10 — $15,000 Guaranteed Pool in the Late Pick-4 wager
The final scratches and driver changes will be posted early Tuesday afternoon on the U.S. Trotting Association website. Program pages will be available at some point afterward at https://www.phha.org/downsmsppps.html.
