Yuge trots to new lifetime mark at Pocono

WILKES-BARRE PA – Top purse events on the Tuesday card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono were a trio of $15,000 events for "nw 4 races" company, two on the trot and one for male pacers.

First up was a trotting field, from which Yuge came away with a new mark of 1:54.1. Tom Jackson moved the Muscle Mass gelding to command in front of the stands and stayed in control from there for trainer Ed Lohmeyer, co-owner with Dr. Patricia Hogan and Ed Lohmeyer Jr.

The pacing event came between the two trots; the sidewheeling event was won by the American Ideal gelding A Farmboys Success, who went wire-to-wire while clocking a personal best of 1:52.2.

Clear much of the last quarter, A Farmboys Success saw his lead diminish rapidly late as Happy Trio extricated himself from a bad shuffle and swept wide, but his late surge came up a neck shy against the victorious Ron Burke trainee, who is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

In the second trot, the Muscle Massive mare Striking Volo completed a "sweep" of new lifetime marks in the features when she reported home first in 1:57.1. Anthony Napolitano got away last with the winner, but had her moving at the quarter and she gained with every stride thereafter, grinding to a confident neck win over Celebrity Apollo for trainer Jody Riedel and Super Mile LLC as the only successful favorite in the tri-features.

Top contest for older performers was a $14,000 pace for mares, which saw Juslikeaqueen never see the rail, be three-wide at two points, and still come on to defeat deep-Pocono Pike-shooting Shady Stella by a neck in 1:51.3. Driver Simon Allard got a second-over trip behind a wild pace and was able to rally the daughter of Palone Ranger to post a gritty victory for trainer/owner Antonia Storer.

From the PHHA/Pocono Downs