WILKES-BARRE PA – Pocono Downs in Mohegan Pennsylvania held its first qualifying session of the 2026 season on Monday. Despite temperatures of 15 degrees, several horses and riders showed sharp form that should serve them well in the first part of the Pocono campaign, which begins this Saturday (Feb. 14) at 1 p.m.
The fastest mile of the cold qualifiers was the time of 1:54, submitted by the Sunscreen Blue Chip gelding Sun Of A Show, who went wire to wire and shot home in :27.2 to defy pocketitter Captain Moore A by half a length for trainer Tee Wine and Wine Stable. Sun Of A Show was piloted by Rising Star Award winner Braxten Boyd, the only winning sulkysmith on the card not to wear any variation of red and white driving colours.
Trainer Scott Blackler, who conditions Captain Moore A, had two other powerful pacers win for him and owner Chad Kowal. One of them was Catalpa Rescue A, a American Ideal gelding who had a hard two-move trip but still prevailed ahead of driver Jason Bartlett, last year’s local UDR champion, in 1:55.2 after the cut-off time of :27.1; the other was the Captain treacherous gelding Heza Charttopper A, who went wire-to-wire in 1:56, with bib numbers from :56.3 – :28, for driver Colin Kelly.
Darren Taneyhill also completed a training double, whose winning pair were both led by Matt Kalaley: Jojo’s Place (1:56.3) and Santafe’s Coach (1:57.4). The latter won a Hempt elimination here in 2017 and is still going strong as a twelve-year-old.
The other riding double was Ridge Warren, who won with two trotters: Kinnder Thinktwice, who despite the cold was a very good winner of 1:56.1 – :28.3, and Midnight Dreams (2:00.2).
Another set of ten qualifying races will be held on Tuesday at 11am, with horses from all parts of the class spectrum being entered. An interesting newcomer is Liberty’s Wildcard, who went 12 for 13 in the Maine Sire Stakes second-year male trotting rankings last year, including a victory in the $100,876 championship at Bangor.
Tuesday will also be the drawing day for Saturday’s first card of the 2026 pari-mutuel season in Pocono (box closes at 9 a.m.). Saturday’s features include the first of three preliminary rounds in the popular Game Of Claims Series for pacers with a base prize of $25,000, while competitors will attempt to earn spots in the $35,000 Series Championship on Saturday, March 7. Pocono will also race on Monday, March 16.e and Tuesday the 17e at 1 p.m.; This three-day-a-week schedule will be in effect for virtually the entire racing year, along with nine consecutive 5 p.m. Sunday cards starting May 31.
For full race results, click here: American trotting results.
From the PHHA/Pocono Downs
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