Trainer sends out both co-feature winners

WILKES-BARRE, PA – Harness racing trainer Linda Schadel swept the $17,000 featured trots on a soggy Tuesday afternoon at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, tallying with the Muscle Massive gelding Focus Pocus in 1:57.2 and then with the Conway Hall mare Sweet Heart AS in 1:56.4.

The times weren’t bad considering the temperature never got much above 50 degrees on a day of mostly pouring rain, with strong winds rising to occasionally battle.

Sweet Heart AS had a rough journey coming raw from last in a five-horse field, but driver Marcus Miller got him to grind by the pacesetting Bang Bang Boinga, who eventually made a break, and then outclosed the potential pocket rocket So Long Hanover by a neck. Linda and Tony Schadel share ownership of this four-year-old winner.

SWEET HEART AS REPLAY

Focus Pocus was used to get the early lead by driver Tyler Buter in his event, and then gave up the lead to tail early mover Serrano Volo. Focus Pocus stayed in the pocket until the famed Pocono Pike came, and then Buter tipped him inside and he prevailed over the rugged 26-1 first-over Dudelookslikealindy by a half length.

Linda Schadel also shares ownership of the victorious four-year-old with her husband Tony.

FOCUS POCUS REPLAY

In the absence of husband Tony (who currently sits second in the North American UDR table in the 100-299 starts category with a batting average of .430), Linda picked out the right catch-drivers for her double, as Miller (four) and Buter (three) accounted for half the driving tallies on the 14-race Pocono card.

And then there was one … Pocono presents the final card of its 2021 racing season this Saturday (October 30) at 12:30 p.m. Featured will be a $21,500 pace in race ten, in which the 2019 Adios winner Southwind Ozzi, coming off a win against similar at Philly, is the 5-2 early favorite in a seven-horse field.

For full race results, click here.

From the PHHA/The Downs