Big day for Burke, Allard, and Bongiorno at The Downs

WILKES BARRE, PA – Harness racing trainer Ron Burke and driver Simon Allard made for a successful pairing on the Saturday afternoon card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, winning the feature pace and also combining to post the quickest trotting time of the year.

Ultimaroca (Rockin Image) has now won half of his eight seasonal starts after taking the $17,500 pacing feature in a lifetime best 1:49.4.

The gelding went to the quarter in :26.3, briefly yielded to Lets Roll then retook the top before the blistering :53.4 half, went on to a 1:21.4 three-quarters, then still had enough to roll home in :28 four lengths superior to first-over favorite Straight Up Cool.

Allard guided the winner, making only his second start in almost three months, for trainer Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and Phil Collura.

ULTIMAROCA REPLAY

The fastest trotting mile of 2022 at Pocono, 1:52.1, was turned in by the Explosive Matter four-year-old gelding Storm Is Raging, who is now three-for-three since coming under Burke’s care.

Allowed to escape at 12-1 while jumping several classes, sharp form trumped “class” here as Allard tucked third early, then rushed the developing diamondgaiter to the lead heading to the three-quarters and stormed home in 28.1 to leave heavy favorite Third Shift 3 1/2 lengths in his wake.

The vastly improved horse is co-owned by Carl Cocciolone, Mark Sosovicka, and Jack Piatt III.

STORM IS RAGING REPLAY

Storm Is Raging set his standard in an undercard event; the $17,500 featured trot went to Rich And Miserable, a winner of $621,589 who rallied from behind a fast pace to tally in 1:52.3, a half-length ahead of resilient pacesetter Marion Gondolier.

Completing a sweep of the card’s notable trots for sire Explosive Matter, the gelding was driven by Tyler Buter for trainer Todd Buter and the ownership of Buter Farm Inc., Lynette Buter, and William and Carol Fuhs.

Simon Allard and trainer Jennifer Bongiorno each had four winners on the Saturday card, and there was a kind of symmetry in their quadruples: Allard, as noted, had two of his wins for Burke and the other two for Bongiorno, while the trainer had Allard drive two (including a 1:49 victory by Somebaddude) and Jason Bartlett a pair.

Sunday’s 5 p.m. twilight card at Pocono features three-year-old trotting fillies in three $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event, slotted for races three, seven, and ten. Mon Cheval, Dreamonhigh, and Palermo Hanover are the early chalk in their respective divisions. Program pages are available here.

For complete race results, click here.

From the PHHA/The Downs