All three co-features won by Jason Bartlett

WILKES-BARRE, PA – Harness racing driver Jason Bartlett, second in the North American earnings table, added to his totals with four winners on Sunday night (Aug. 18) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, including a sweep of the $17,000 trotting features and the $16,500 top pace, all the winners setting lifetime marks.

Faster of the two trotting winners was Bellissino Face S, a gelded son of Raja Mirchi, who led throughout fractions of :26.4, :56.2, and 1:24.3, then moved effortlessly to the wire to win over Partner Dolan by 4¾ lengths in 1:52.3. The import looks headed for better things for trainer Per Engblom, who is also co-owner with Kasper Foget.

BELLISSINO FACE S REPLAY

Father Stosh did not have an easy trip from the outside post eight in the other trotting headliner, but Bartlett coaxed enough out of the son of Father Patrick to get him to the wire a head to the good of Chezactic while reducing his mark to 1:53.3. Involved at several points in a mile with fractions of :27, :55.3, and 1:23.3, Father Stosh was most involved when it most counted, winning for trainer Jill Roland and owner Bernard O’Brien.

FATHER STOSH REPLAY

In the $16,500 top-drawer claiming handicap pace, the Sweet Lou gelding Lunar parked 12-time seasonal winner Shoobee Doo A a good part of a :26 quarter, sat attached in the pocket through midfractions of :54.3 and 1:21.3, then came outside for Bartlett and caught the pacesetter by a half a length while taking a new mark of 1:48.4. The winner, 17-for-39 in his career, is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Phil Collura, Knox Services Inc., and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby. If the top two are to square off again in their next start, Shoobee Doo A will be coming out of a new barn, as he was haltered for $40,000 out of this race (he’s already made $115,965 this year).

LUNAR REPLAY

It was a good night for drivers wearing red (or close to red) and white: Bartlett had four wins, Matt Kakaley three, George Napolitano Jr two, and Anthony Napolitano one.

Pennsylvania-sired two-year-old trotting fillies will go in their final preliminary in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series on Monday’s 1 p.m. card, looking to cinch spots in their early September Championships, The favorites in the two divisions of the Sire Stakes, Ms Prada and Divine Thing, are both daughters of hot sire Greenshoe. Free Pocono programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

From the PHHA / Pocono Downs