The Great Northeast Open Series returns

CHESTER PA – An immediate success upon the conducting of its first leg last week, the Great Northeast Open Series returns this Sunday with more first-rate harness racing for the older set, with two $30,000 divisions of the open pace at Harrah's Philadelphia in the afternoon, and then, 100 miles up the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, open trotters and filly and mare pacers will each contest a single division for the same bounty during a nighttime card.

In the first of the two open paces at Philly, Feeling Cam Lucky (PP7, driver George Napolitano Jr.) takes a very big step up in class as he pursues his fourth straight victory, coming off a 1:49.4 victory in his last start. Providing strong competition should be Mel Mara (1, Corey Callahan), a 1:47 pacer making his seasonal bow, and Christen Me N (8, Tim Tetrick), the Down Under star.

George Napolitano Jr. will come right back from post seven in the other Philly open pace with Rodeo Romeo, who in the series first leg paced the fastest mile of the year at Pocono Downs, 1:49.2 for his third wins in his most recent four starts. An interesting newcomer is Heaven Rocks A (4, David Miller), who shows racing the very best horses in Australasia over the winter (which is their summer); he is making his North American debut here.

Up at Pocono, the open trotters will parade trackward first, with the winner of the first leg at Philly, Rubber Deck (6, Joe Bongiorno), looking to make it two straight. His biggest threat may be just inside him in Will Take Charge (Tim Tetrick), a streaking Canadian who came within a neck of 2017 Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover at The Meadowlands last week.

Making her 2018 bow in the mares pace is the now-5-year-old Pure Country (6, Mark MacDonald), returning to the track after her unprecedented sweep of her division's titles at ages 2, 3, and 4. She'll have to be on her game to defeat Nike Franco N (3, Tim Tetrick), who figures to be better this time around after finishing third in her seasonal bow last week.

The Great Northeast Open Series, co-sponsored by the two host tracks and the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association, will be featuring $30,000 races for these three classes throughout the summer, with participants earning points in hopes of making their respective $100,000 Championships at Pocono on Sunday, September 2.

Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association, in conjunction with The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Harrah's Philadelphia racetracks