Pocono: Strong qualifiers for Schnittker trainees

Two horses trained by Ray Schnittker and driven by Mark MacDonald turned heads during Wednesday morning qualifiers at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with Splash Brother (1:50 4/5) and Billy Flynn (1:52 4/5) winning by a combined 36 1/4 lengths.

A 4-year-old So Surreal gelding, Splash Brother went down the road while posting fractions of 28 2/5, 56 3/5, 1:23 3/5, and 1:50 4/5 for the partnership of Schnittker, Nolamaura Racing LLC, Steven Arnold, and Tammy Flannery. He took a mark of 1:48 2/5 at The Meadowlands last year and won over $300,000, including a victory in his Empire Breeders Classic and a second in his New York Sire Stakes final.

The sophomore pacing colt Billy Clyde posted a 1:52 3/5 qualifying mark in limited campaigning last year, and just missed that clocking Wednesday after hanging up fractions of 29 4/5, 58, 1:25 2/5, and 1:52 4/5. Billy Clyde, owned by Schnittker and Dr. John Egloff, may be pointing for the first Pennsylvania Sire Stakes of the season, to be held at The Meadows on Kentucky Derby Day, May 1.

-edited release (Pocono/PHHA)