Pocono: Weiss Series kicks off with top-tier potential

The first round of the Bobby Weiss Series for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers kicks off a stakes-filled 15-race card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday afternoon (April 9) with the first of five $20,000 divisions likely to set the tone for a most competitive series. Though just six horses were drawn into the third race division, it appears to have three with impressive potential locking horns.

Shake It and All The Chips have collectively won all five starts this year entering the Weiss, while All Or Nothing is perfect on the season, winning his first pari-mutuel start over the Pocono surface on March 20. Scott Zeron drove All Or Nothing, a son of Always B Miki, in that win and knows the colt quite well.

"He's a big horse that's very talented," said Zeron of All Or Nothing. "I trained him last year and really liked him, but he broke a bone."

All Or Nothing drew the pole position for Saturday's first round action, and Zeron is quite cautious even though he likes his chances.

"We'll find out more for sure," Zeron said. "There are some very good horses in there."

Trainer Chris Ryder has one of those pair of nice sophomores in Shake It, and the trainer was happy with the progress the gelded son of Heston Blue Chip has made thus far.

"I thought he handled the track well at Harrah's [Philadelphia]," Ryder said on Monday. "I'm not sure how the rest of the season will go, but I think we have at least a good New York Sire Stakes horse."

Shake It won his first two starts of the year at the Meadowlands on the front-end with a 1:51 2/5 mile his fastest clocking. On opening day last Sunday (April 3), he cruised around the five-eighths-mile oval at Harrah's Philadelphia, defeating a non-winners of five group in a comfortable 1:52 2/5 mile. With regular pilot Dexter Dunn scheduled to race at the Meadowlands on Saturday night, Ryder will employ Jason Bartlett for the Weiss opener.

All The Chips is an altered son of Betting Line that earned $53,663 as a 2-year-old in just five starts, with his best effort a win in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event on July 18 in 1:52 2/5. All The Chips has returned this season for trainer Cory Mumford with two straight scores at Dover Downs and seems more than ready for his 2022 stakes debut. Matt Kakaley is scheduled to drive All The Chips from post six.

The last race on Saturday's program could prove contentious as well with Captaingiddyupngo, a well-bred son of Captaintreacherous, making his local debut following a third-place finish in a prep race on April 2 at the Meadowlands. Captaingiddyupngo hails from the powerful Tony Alagna stable and starts from post four in the Weiss division for pacers.

Trainer Ray Schnittker believes the sire Huntsville will be a dominant force in New York and beyond. Huntsville's son Greg The Leg (post two) has stamped himself as a potential player in the Empire State already this year with a pair of solid front-end victories. Mark MacDonald hopes to keep the gelding's winning streak alive in this division.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Saturday's card also includes the second leg of the Weiss for sophomore colt and gelding trotters, and Zeron drew well once again with the Linda Toscano-trained Emma Talking in race 11, the third of three $20,000 divisions.

"I like that horse," said Zeron. "He's in with some nice ones as well."

Emma Talking, a Chapter Seven-sired colt, has a first- and second-place finish in two starts this year and likely needs some experience. He should get battle-tested in this division that includes first-leg winner El Toro Loco (post six), a gelded son of Walner that has captured both of his races this year, including a 1:55 effort at The Meadows on March 17. Tyler Buter guides El Toro Loco.

That Ole Bar Stool has captured three of his five starts this season and makes his Pocono debut from post seven in this division with Matt Kakaley at the helm. That Ole Bar Stool took a 1:55 1/5 record winning from post eight at Dover Downs on March 7.

Pocono's 15-race Saturday program has a first post time of 1:30 p.m.