WILKES-BARRE PA – With the number of days remaining in the 2025 racing season at Pocono Downs in Mohegan Pennsylvania reduced to single digits, Racing Director Rick Kane has devised a two-legs-and-one championship series for both trotters and pacers called the “Winter Is Coming” series to create additional year-end excitement, and on Monday the pacers contested two preliminary rounds for the $12,500 opening round.
The excitement factor was evident in the faster of the two Winter Is Coming cuts of the day, such as the Better than cheddar gelding Agedchedar Hanover (note that deliberate spelling) closed from third place to win in a four-horse overall finish in 1:52.4. The winner came home in :28.1 into the wind to beat Points North by a head for trainer Jake Leamon and owner Dona McDonald.
AGEDCHEDAR HANNOVER REPEAT
The other class went to the only three-year-old competing in the preliminary round of the first leg, the Cattlewash gelding Expedited Service, and the second-year could prove to be the horse to beat in the series. Although his mile was clocked in 1:54.3, Expedited Service ran his third quarter in :26.4 with the wind to get out of the first over with ease and cruised to a 4½-length victory ahead of driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Richard Johnson and owner Guy Gemore.
The highest amount on the card was the $15,500 offered for developing trotters, with second-year filly Margareta Hanover taking command in front of the stands for the first time and then setting a new score of 1:55.4 in the open distance win. Mattias groomed the Maharadja filly for trainer brother Marcus (who was at the opening day of the Harrisburg Sale) and, appropriately given that reference, owners Hanover Shoe Farms Inc.
Anthony Napolitano led the floating colony with three winners; Braxten Boyd, leader Tyler Buter, James Kennedy and George Napolitano Jr. had two each. “Anthony Nap” earned another accolade by guiding the $66.40 winner Costa Diva, giving him a lead of eleven “bombers” he took home at Pocono this year. Double Up N also got in on the longshot fun by paying $56.40 led by Kevin Wallis in the first race (just the second “bomber” to open the card among Pocono’s 52 $50+ winners this match, including seven of the last seven cards).
In the Winter Is Coming Series, three $12,500 first-round divisions for trotters are highlighted on Tuesday’s 1 p.m. Pocono card. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.pha.org.
For full race results, click here: American trotting results.
From the PHHA/Pocono Downs
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