Walner sophomore filly grinds out tough win

WILKES-BARRE PA – A trio of $15,000 feature races headlined the final harness racing card of the week at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania – two trotting handicaps and a pacing distaff contest, all for horses on the improve.

The faster trotter comes from the seemingly-limitless roster of quality horses from the barn of Åke Svanstedt – that would be the Walner sophomore filly Sister Diane, who was out and grinding for driver Ridge Warren from the half, and still managed to go past pacesetter Kelly’s Greatest by a length in 1:55.1. Sister Diane, who took her mark of 1:54 earlier this year at Pocono, is owned by Stable Why Not in partnership with Åke Svanstedt Inc.

SISTER DIANE REPLAY

The other top event for diamond gaited horses was won by the Cantab Hall three-year-old gelding King Strait, who stopped the clock in 1:56.3 for driver Tyler Buter and trainer-owner Jill Roland, whose barn has been hot as of late. King Strait also had to overcome a first-up trip, which he did by trotting his own third quarter in :27.3 to clear to the lead by the far turn, then dash off to a 2¾ length triumph over a shuffled-back Barn Credit. King Strait also set his mark of 1:56 at Pocono earlier in the year.

KING STRAIT REPLAY

The female pacers in the spotlight were vanquished by the Always B Miki sophomore Twin B Empress,  who in triumphing for the second straight time lowered her mark to 1:52.3. Tyler Buter moved the winner to the lead in front of the stands, then got a :56.1 back half out of her to be 2¼ lengths ahead of favored She’s Got It at the finish for trainer Ron Burke and Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

TWIN B EMPRESS REPLAY

George Napolitano Jr. scored three sulky successes on the afternoon, which narrowed Matt Kakaley’s seasonal lead to 260-255, but there are only seven days left in the 2024 meet. Leading trainer Ron Burke was the only conditioner to send out a pair of winners.

Pocono will be racing on a Saturday-Monday-Tuesday basic schedule until 2024 closing day of Saturday, November 24, with first post each day 1 p.m. Saturday’s card will have the usual assortment of veteran fast-class performers and up-and-coming stock; there will also be a carryover into the first race Superfecta pool.

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