When the preliminary stakes calendar came out in December, the advanced schedule for action at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono showed one addition and one major subtraction. Now with the schedule firmly in place and the track slated to open the 2021 season in just a few weeks on February 6, the arrival of the Delmonica Hanover for 3-year-old trotting fillies, and the departure of the Ben Franklin from the schedule has been confirmed. Racing secretary Rick Kane was able to explain the changes that the re-worked Sun Stakes will have in 2021. "We've been looking to add a 3-year-old filly trot for some time," said Kane. "As far as the Ben Franklin, I've been disappointed in recent years with the number and the quality of horses made eligible." Of course, the addition of a 3-year-old filly trot and removal of an "Open" event for older horses could also fit better into the narrative of a core group of races that helps yearling buyers and Pennsylvania-based breeding farms.  The Sun Stakes in 2021 will not only move from its traditional July 4 weekend to August 21, but has been reformatted as a three-tiered event with no eliminations. The Earl Beal and Max Hempt Memorials for 3-year-old open trotters and open pacers, respectively, will now have a $300,000 purse for the elite event. There are two consolations for each that will offer purses of $200,000 and $100,000. "We did this at Chester, and I think the format works out better because it gives more horsemen a chance to earn," said Kane on the switch away from the eliminations/finals format. "The top nine horses will be determined by the money won in 2021." According to Kane, one of the reasons the race was moved to a later date was to accommodate as many horses as possible given the new earnings parameters. On the filly front, the James Lynch Memorial and Delmonica Hanover will offer $250,000 finals, with consolations worth $125,000 and $75,000. Here, there has been a significant change that owners may appreciate. "For the second consolation there won't be any starting fee," said Kane, who noted that the move was only for these two $75,000 events and not in any other. In shifting the Sun Stakes to August, Pocono may find itself in a better position to attract a larger audience for all of its races, but perhaps more specifically the Beal and Hempt. In past years the Hempt was sandwiched between the C$1,000,000 North America Cup and the lucrative Meadowlands Pace. With both of those sophomore classics requiring elimination races, the Hempt, as an elimination- final event, was often avoided, otherwise trainers risked racing perhaps six straight weeks without rest. As for the Beal, the premier 3-year-old trotting event, it moves from pre-Hambletonian status to post Hambletonian, and that's something that has proven beneficial no matter where a race is held. Far too many trainers were cautious to place Hambletonian contenders in an elimination and final contest a month from the Hambletonian. With this year's Beal coming two weeks after the Hambletonian and in single-dash format, it's likely to draw all of the top sophomores to the trotter-friendly five-eighths mile oval. With the addition of the Delmonica Hanover, trainers with top-class sophomore fillies will have the chance to race for a significant purse following the Hambletonian Oaks for the first time in a long while. From a wagering standpoint the move of the Sun Stakes to the new format offers the prospect of nine individual races that just by seeding alone should be more competitive. In past years eliminations added a second week but not necessarily competitive events. The 2021 structure, with seasonal earnings the only qualifying factor, are guaranteed to pit horses of similar abilities against each other. On the downside there are certain to be owners that question the wisdom of offering half the total purse to the 18 second- and third-best 3-year-olds in the division. Both the Beal and Hempt finals went for $500,000 back in 2019. While on paper there is a sense that purse money will be spread out more significantly with this format, in reality this could play out to be to the advantage of larger stables who can now enter more of their horses with the knowledge that there's a $100,000 purse awaiting a nice non-winners of two type horse. With live racing resuming in February, the schedule for the first month of action will see Pocono racing on Saturday and Sunday (except Super Bowl Sunday - February 7), with Saturday post time at 12:30 P.M. and Sunday at 5:00 P.M. In March Pocono will add Monday to the schedule with a 12:30 P.M. post time. The schedule will go to four-days-a-week as Tuesdays join in April with the same 12:30 P.M. post. Nominations for the Bobby Weiss Memorial late closing events for 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits close on February 14. The series will be held in April. "The eliminations go for $17,500 and the final for $40,000," said Kane of the Weiss, which has three preliminary legs slated. For Kane, 2020 was the first year where horses were not stabled at the track, but that didn't make it more difficult for him to fill races. "From the time we returned from COVID-19, there was never a shortage in the box," said Kane. Purse structure, especially during these times, is always a concern, but Kane was quite confident that he'll be able to offer the same level of purses in 2021 that was available last year. Given the bleak nature of the last 10 months, Kane sounded a hopeful chord. "I'm looking forward to seeing people at the track," said Kane in eyeing a time in the not so distant future when racing fans are free to come to the track. With the Sun Stakes moving to late August, the potential certainly exists for not just more horses to participate, but for owners and fans to witness the spectacle live once again.