Matt Kakaley, the youngest driver in harness racing history to surpass 1,000 wins, begins a new chapter in his life when Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs opens its 2010 live harness racing meet Tuesday night. First post is 6:30 p.m.
It won’t be an easy task for Kakaley, whose hometown is Streetsboro, Ohio, when he takes to the racetrack to challenge the likes of Jim Morrill Jr., Joe Pavia Jr., Mike Simons, Anthony and George Napolitano Jr., Tom Jackson and Larry Stalbaum on a nightly basis and occasionally drivers like Jason Bartlett, Eric Goodell, David Miller, Yannick Gingras and Tim Tetrick.
Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs will be racing on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings through May 31 when Fridays are dropped and Monday evenings added for the months of June, July and August.
At the Isle Pompano Park winter meet, the soft-spoken and quiet mannered Kakaley collected 61 wins on 500 drives and purses totaling $390,000.
His only training commitment thus far at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs has come from Ron Burke, leading trainer in North America in 2009. Kakaley understands it may take some time before he’s fully established as a catch-driver at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack. He’s scheduled to drive in several races on opening night. One of those catch-drives will be on the Al Pellegrini-trained Langside Castaway. Another is for the Burke-trained Gracie Lynn, a 5-year-old mare drawing post two in a $10,000 claiming pace for fillies and mares. Morrill, the top percentage driver at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in 2009, really likes the way the 22-year-old Kakaley handles himself, both on and off the track. “He’s a good kid with a great attitude and he can drive a horse,” offered Morrill. “I raced against him at Tioga and Buffalo. He’s a confident young driver and by no means cocky.
“We do have a great colony of drivers at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and Matt (Kakaley) will be a great addition.”
The season opens with a $20,000 claiming pace and a nine-horse field. In this race, Armbro Dowry drew the one post and will be looking for the fifth win of the year on eight starts. Gingras will be in the bike for trainer Kirsten Proctor. (Pocono Downs)
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