WILKES-BARRE PA – A quartet of $15,000 races topped the Tuesday afternoon harness racing program at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, two for conditioned pacers and two for claiming trotters.
The Captaintreacherous colt Maxim Hanover, who won a Governor’s Cup elimination last year and was third in the final but had had only one start in 2024, showed he was ready to go four months after that last race, overcoming post eight and posting a race mark of 1:51.4 in the feature for male pacers. Tyler Buter, the top pilot at Pocono on Tuesday with four victories, got a midpack early spot with the sophomore, then worked out a second-over trip, wearing down the stubborn first-over Trumpster Blues by three parts of a length for trainer Robert Cleary and Royal Wire Products Inc. while raising his bankroll to $200,478.
MAXIM HANOVER REPLAY
Madam X (Bettor’s Wish) has now won four of her last six starts, overcoming a tough first-over move from midfield in the last half and digging in to win the distaff pace headliner, equaling her fastest mile ever with a 1:52.1 clocking. The Bettor’s Wish sophomore responded to driver Braxten Boyd’s stretch coaxing to down potential Pocono Piker She’s Got It a neck for trainer Jeff Cullipher and Pollack Racing LLC.
The quicker of the trots was won by the Andover Hall gelding Jive Ninety Five, not quite able to hold on after setting the pace last time but here able to brush at the half to clear before the end of the backstretch en route to a 1:55.1 victory for driver Anthony Napolitano. Owner/trainer Pete Pellegrino saw his horse, who boosted his career bankroll to $200,669, claimed out of the winning effort for $15,000.
JIVE NINETY FIVE REPLAY
Burn Notice set the pace in the other topline trot and got a slow half, which left him with plenty to maintain his advantage to the wire in 1:56.2. The Tioga shipper, a Cayenne Turbo gelding, was driven by meet leader Matt Kakaley for trainer Mike Deters, co-owner with Joel Warner and John Manning.
Racing resumes at Pocono on Saturday with a 1 p.m. card, an outstanding card with $18,500 fast-class features on both gaits and several other top-notch events; there will also be a carryover into the last race High 5 wager.
Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.
From the PHHA / Pocono