Tim Tetrick is in an enviable position heading into Saturday's Sun Stakes at Pocono Downs Mohegan Pennsylvania. One of the sport's top drivers, Tetrick has a solid chance at success in each of the four primary stakes events for sophomores on a card offering $2.2 million in purse money. Confederate, the likely heavy favorite to capture the $300,000 Max Hempt Memorial for male sophomore pacers, will hope to continue his winning form after capturing the Cane Pace at the Meadowlands on August 5. "The entire team has done a great job of keeping him sharp," Tetrick said of Confederate, who has been dynamic this entire season for trainer Brett Pelling. Tetrick views the Hempt in a different way than the other stakes he's driven Confederate in this season, primarily because the five-eighths-mile track is not always friendly to horses racing from off-the-pace. "It's definitely a speed track and you have to be near to the pace," said Tetrick. On the other side of the equation for the driver is his strategy to get the most out of his horses while preserving them for the long season. "You take a lot out of them racing on the front-end every week," said Tetrick. Confederate (post five) has won five of his six races this year with only one of those races being on the front-end. It's a testament to the driver's ability to navigate the race and get the best from the son of Sweet Lou. "There are a lot of good horses in the race," Tetrick said of the Hempt. "Dr. [Ian] Moore's horse [Stockade Seelster] has speed, and you know when he sends a horse down, they are ready. Nancy's horse [Christchurch] has been good every start and has speed." ► Get FREE Harness Eye PPs and watch the Pocono races LIVE! What Tetrick doesn't want to see on Saturday is anyone get away to soft fractions with Confederate too far out of contention. Since his lone defeat in the North America Cup final where Confederate was seventh at three-quarters and lost by a head to It's My Show, Tetrick has put Confederate closer to the action, and the result has been three straight sub-1:48 victories, the last two featuring sub 26-second final quarters. The Max Hempt goes as race 12 on the 14-race afternoon program. Tetrick has tremendous confidence in Oh Well, last year's Mohawk Million champion that has an odd-looking scorecard in 2023 with just one win and six seconds in seven starts. "He's just fine," said Tetrick of the Marcus Melander-trained Muscle Hill colt that goes in the $300,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial (race 13) on the program. "He raced well in the Hambletonian [second place], and I feel he's getting stronger with each start. I think he's just going to get better while some of the others may start wearing out," said Tetrick of Oh Well. As for post eight, Tetrick didn't seem to mind. "He can get out of the gate, so I don't think the post will bother him," said the Hall of Fame driver. Oh Well once again faces Hambletonian favorite Celebrity Bambino (post one) in the Beal. He took the measure of that one only to be out-sprinted late by Tactical Approach in the Hambletonian. MGM Yonkers Trot champion Up Your Deo finished third in the Hambletonian and returns for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt in the Beal from post four. ► Read full-card analysis for Pocono Saturday Tetrick also has some serious contenders in the two sophomore filly stakes events, with Charleston (post one) looking to upset in the $250,000 James M. Lynch Memorial (race 11). "She's got a big late kick," said Tetrick of the Downbytheseaside-sired filly. "Sylvia Hanover [post five] is crazy good but if she gets into a battle my filly can close." Tetrick's optimism may come in the form that Sylvia Hanover, though unbeaten in six tries this year, has had some adventurous trips on larger ovals and makes her first start over a five-eighths-mile track in the Lynch. Sylvia Hanover will also have to overcome the draw, with Twin B Joe Fresh (post four), off a 1:48 2/5 mile, directly inside of her in the Lynch. Sweet Amira (post three) joins the Lynch fray following a sharp Pennsylvania Sire Stakes victory last Saturday (August 12) at The Meadows. Tetrick drew post four with Hambletonian Oaks champion Heaven Hanover for the $250,000 Delmonica Hanover (race 10) for sophomore trotting fillies and is hoping for a repeat performance. "Bond [post five] is definitely the horse to beat," said Tetrick. "My filly has been solid and won here [Pocono] in [1]:52 and change." ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Heaven Hanover, a daughter of Father Patrick, took a 1:50 3/5 mark after coming from last at the half to sweep to a neck victory in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks at the Meadowlands on August 5 for trainer Marcus Melander. Bond has won 10 of 15 lifetime starts and is unbeaten over the five-eighths-mile track for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt. In addition to the Hempt, Beal, Delmonica Hanover and Lynch finals, there are a host of consolations for the sophomores. A pair of invitational events bolster the Pocono program, with the $100,000 Sebastian K (race four) drawing a strong field that includes the 2021 standout Jujubee, as well as Sebastian K's trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt sending out Southwind Tyrion, a 1:51 winner at Pocono in June. The $100,000 Always B Miki (race 14) will have Allywag Hanover looking to win for the third straight year from post six in a field that includes Graduate series champion Stonebridge Helios, as well as recent Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial winner Idealsomemagic A. First post for the 14-race Sun Stakes program, which features three $5,000 guaranteed Pick 4s (races one, six and 11), is scheduled at 1:00 P.M. (EDT).