Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania kicks off its 2026 racing season on Saturday afternoon with a power-packed 13-race program. The afternoon card that begins at 1:00 p.m. (EST) offers a wide array of talent, with top horsemen returning to the Wilkes-Barre-based five-eighths-mile track for another season. Trainer Travis Alexander annually ranks at the top of conditioners, and his stable is well-prepared with five in the box and slated for action. "I've got 60 horses training in Pennsylvania and 60 down here in Florida," Alexander said, referring to his racehorses in the north and his returning stock that includes 2- and 3-year-olds as well as some prominent older pacers putting in the finishing touches before returning north. The popular Game Of Claims Series kicks off with five divisions dominating the Pocono first offering and Alexander utilizing the depth in his stable to have three horses entered in the five $15,000 divisions of the series for $25,000 base-priced claimers. "I think it's a great series," said Alexander. "It's great if you have overnight horses, and I expect we will be active during it." The Game of Claims is very much a game as trainers and owners enter horses in the series knowing or expecting that horses will get claimed. Alexander understands the risk, but his owners are also looking to not just give up horses but take as well during the series. "I'm glad they stretched out the series this year," said Alexander, referring to different levels of the Game of Claims Series being offered later in the meet as opposed to on top of one another during the early weeks of the meet. Alexander is hopeful that Reigning Deo (post six) will get his meet started in fine fashion in the opener on the card. The now 10-year-old with $659K banked during his career ships in from Yonkers for the first of the five Game of Claims divisions. "He hasn't had much luck at Yonkers this year. I'm hoping the change will help him," said Alexander. Reigning Deo has been in with $30,000 claimers at Yonkers and drops a notch on Saturday. Rjs Red Devil (post two) faces some veteran performers in Saturday's second race, a non-winners of $6,700 in their last five starts. "He's a very talented horse," said Alexander. "He hit a knee in his last start at Yonkers and that's why he made the break." ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter A 4-year-old by Huntsville, Rjs Red Devil earned $129K as a sophomore with four wins in 17 tries, and Alexander said the five-eighths track suits him better. The gelding's last victory came over the five-eighths at Harrah's Philadelphia in November. In Saturday's race the homebred is the youngest horse in the field of eight. A stable favorite, Downrightdelicious returns to action after recovering from injury in Saturday's seventh race and third Game of Claims division. "I thought this would be a good spot for his first start," said Alexander, placing Downrightdelicious at the $25,000 level. "He qualified as well as we could have expected since we really didn't have much opportunity to train him hard." Downrightdelicious, according to Alexander, is one of driver Matt Kakaley's favorite horses, and he'll steer him on Saturday from post five. Stare Me Down (post eight) in Saturday's ninth race has been a very unlucky horse, and Alexander is hoping is trouble is behind him now. "He lost an eye last year and has struggled a bit since then," said Alexander of the 4-year-old by Always B Miki. Third in his last two starts in the claiming ranks at Yonkers, Stare Me Down has the talent to overcome the outside draw. In Saturday's $27,500 Winners Over $25,000 event and co-feature on the program, Alexander sends out The Greek Freak (post two) for the tenth race. "The starting and stopping at Yonkers has been a problem for him and he's choked a few times," said Alexander of the 9-year-old son of Captaintreacherous who was perhaps compromised by the added distance of the MGM Grand Prix Pacing Series consolation. "The slow pace in the MGM Grand Prix consolation (December 19) was rough on him."  The tenth race has attracted a solid field of seven, with MGM Grand Prix third-place finisher Catalpa Rescue A (post seven) making his 2026 debut. The imported son of American Ideal qualified back for action on Monday (February 9), capturing a qualifier in 1:55 2/5. Trainers Per Engblom and Enrico Robinson both have a pair of horses in this event with Engblom's Pinny Tiger A (post three) seeking his second straight win of the year following a blistering 1:50 4/5 victory at The Meadows on January 31. Robinson's Hunting Zone (post six) was a 10-time winner in 2025 and returns for his 2026 debut following a solid 1:53 4/5 qualifying mile at the Meadowlands on February 6. Alexander is excited about how Howlenthehills and Sweet Beach Life are training back in Florida. The pair are being pointed towards the MGM Borgata Pacing Series at Yonkers. "They are 5-year-olds now and are bigger and stronger," said Alexander. Superchamp Hanover, fourth in last year's Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship, is training well for his sophomore season. "He's really developed and we are going to stake him heavily," said Alexander of the son of Sweet Lou that showed high speed as a freshman but made some untimely breaks along the way. A sophomore we didn't see in in 2025 but should be debuting soon is Nothing Matters. "She didn't race last year, but I think she has plenty of ability," said Alexander. A daughter of Captaintreacherous, Nothing Matters is the first foal from a sister to a former Alexander standout American Courage. Speaking of American Courage, a limited first crop of 2-year-olds is currently in training with Alexander in Florida. Though somewhat biased, Alexander said, "They all have his gait and determination. We'll have to wait and see about the speed." Alexander also mentioned a colt from the first crop of Back Of The Neck that he expects to be a player in New York Sire Stake action this summer. Pocono will race on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday afternoons through May, adding Sundays on May 31.