WILKES-BARRE PA – Harness racing driver Simon Allard, coming to The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Sunday night one sulky success short of 3000 for his career, wasted little time getting the milestone triumph, taking the second race at the mountain oval with San Jose Hanover, rallying the pacer from the pocket and giving him a new mark of 1:54.3.
Simon, 35 years old and a native of Quebec now living in nearby Pittston PA, started the weekend with 2993 wins, but a four-bagger at The Downs last night and a double this afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia put him on the verge of the notable victory, and fittingly he won with a horse owned and trained by his brother Rene. Simon is currently second in the Downs standard behind perennial leader George Napolitano Jr., while Rene is atop the trainer colony.
Later in the card Simon started on the road to 4000 when he won with the trotter Love To Glide.
Two $18,000 “non-winners of 7 races” events, one at each gait, were the feature races Sunday at Pocono. Jim Marohn Jr., who had five driving victories on the night at press time, teamed with trainer Paul Kelley, he of Obrigado fame, for a double on the card, in the featured trot with Just For Today, with the son of Credit Winner using looping tactics to open a big lead on the far turn and go on to an easy 1:55.2 score for the Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco, and the Hatfield Stables.
The featured pace went to odds-on Ideal Rocky, a Rocknroll Hanover gelding who was sent straight to the front by driver Anthony Napolitano and then came home in 55.2 to complete a 1:52.1 triumph. Steve Salerno handles the local training of the winner for owners Randy Bendis and Thomas Pollack.
Jim Marohn Jr. wound up with six victories on the card, and Simon Allard wound up the night at 3002 wins lifetime after a late victory.
PHHA / Pocono