On Saturday night, there were three $25,000 elimination races held for the stakes race. The top three in the official order of finish in each race advanced to the big-money final.

I’m The Answer did his damage in the very first split for trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer, who sent the gelding to the front end at the 3/8-mile marker. He wasn’t seriously challenged from that point, crossing the line 4 ½ lengths the best in 1:52:4. That shattered the previous Pocono mark for sophomore geldings on the trot of 1:53:3, set by Shermans Mountain in 2009. Opening Night (Tyler Buter, Jim Campbell) finished 2nd and Buffalino Hanover (Todd Schadel driver and trainer) picked up third to punch their tickets to the final.

In the third and final elimination later in the night, Smedshammer was at it again, this time guiding Dejarmbro to a come-from-behind win. The colt sat off the sizzling fractions early, and began making his move on the back stretch. Leader Charlie De Vie went on a break on the final turn, allowing the hotly-pursuing Dejarmbro to take over and win by 2 ¾ lengths in 1:52:4. Other finalists from the race include second-place finisher Bambino Hall (George Napolitano Jr., Kelly O’Donnell) and Leader Of The Gang (Ron Pierce, Jimmy Takter), who picked up the show.

In between Smedshammer’s successes, Pastor Stephen, a powerhouse from the barn of Jimmy Takter, staked his claim as the one to beat for next week’s final. With Ron Pierce on the bike, Pastor Stephen glided first-over past all of his foes to win by three lengths in 1:53:1. Also making the final from that split were Broad Bahn (George Brennan