Five fields of two-year-olds got their initial competitive action during Wednesday morning qualifiers at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
Before the babies took the track, there was a “special guest appearance” by Backstreet Shadow as an example on which to focus future aspirations. The winner of $1.4 million, who equalled the Yonkers all-age record of 1:49.3 during the Borgata Series, was making his first start since the end of the series and he turned in a winning qualifier in 1:51.4 (with a :53.4 back half and :26.4 final quarter).
There were two national season’s records for two-year-olds established. One was the Betting Line-A Pippin Hanover pacing gelding Ante Up Hanover, who came home out of the pocket in :28.3 to stop the timer in 2:01.3 for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, owner with his wife Christine.
The Tactical Landing-Murderers Row trotting miss Ruthian powered home in :59 with a :28.2 final quarter to win in 2:03, the other seasonal standard. Mark MacDonald guided the winner for trainer Ray Schnittker and owner Louis Palumbo.
Team MacDonald/Schnittker also combined for the faster of two trotting colt sections, with the Chapter Seven-Sianna Hanover colt Victor Laszlo winning in 2:02 for Schnittker Arnold, Paul Bordogna, Ted Gewert, and Arden Homestead Stable.
The other winning baby trotting colt was Little Mark, a son of Cantab Hall-All In The Muscles, who closed out of the pocket in :59.4 with a :29.4 final frame to win in 2:03.2 for driver Braxten Boyd, trainer John Marsh and Keystone Stable.
The pacing fillies were headed by the Betting Line-Someheartsomewhere miss Showboat Hanover, who came her own back half in :58.2 to win in 2:05, completing the double for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, co-owner with Christine Schadel and Caitlin Solt.
(With files from PHHA / Pocono)