2YO pacing colts impressive at Philly

CHESTER, PA – Trainer Nancy Takter and driver Dexter Dunn combined to win the fastest two of the four divisions of the $218,260 first preliminary round of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts Thursday afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia, with Red Right Hand, whose 1:52 was the fastest clocking among the babies, salvaging some honor for tote-board favorites, who had taken a PaSS drubbing up until then.

Red Right Hand, a Captaintreacherous colt out of the mare Preppy Party Girl, gradually made his way to the front past a :27.2 quarter, went to the half in :56.2, then received a stern challenge from Summa Cum Laude before, through, and after the 1:24 three-quarters. Red Right Hand dug in to keep his game opponent at bay by a neck for the partnership of Christina Takter, Nancy Takter and JAF Racing, Joe Sbrocco, and R A W Equine Inc.

The other successful Takter – Dunn teaming was with the Always B Miki – Beach Gal colt Always A Miki, who followed up on a 1:56 morning victory with a well-deserved 1:52.2 mark here. Always A Miki was fifth, some 6½ lengths behind at the half, but the colt just kept eating into the leader Literl Lad Hanover's margin, then left him behind by 1½ lengths with personal back fractions raw of :54.3 – :27.1 for his owners, Christina Takter, Goran Anderberg, Herb Liverman, and the Rojan Stables.

The Sweet Lou – Lucy's Pearl colt Lou's Pearlman was let go at 7-1 despite having the best qualifying win time of all the PaSS horses (1:54), and he responded by lowering his tab further to 1:53.3. Another colt having to overcome a difficult first-up journey, Lou's Pearlman showed determination en route to a neck victory over inside rallier Crunch Hanover for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Ron Burke, and Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC along with Elizabeth Novak.

Bayfield Beach dropped five seconds from his first qualifier to his second, and for his pari-mutuel debut he dropped over three more seconds en route to a 1:52.4 in-hand victory. David Miller got the call to guide the Somebeachsomewhere – DB Blue Chip colt for trainer Brian Brown and the ownership of Crossover Racing, Country Club Acres Inc., Rich Lombardo Racing LLC, and Joe Sbrocco (who joined Christina Takter with an ownership double in the Sire Stakes).

In the six $20,000 Stallion Series races, driver David Miller and trainer Blake MacIntosh teamed twice with winning shippers from Woodbine Mohawk Park: first with the Somebeachsomewhere – Lady Be Great colt Great Somewhere, an easy 1:55.1 winner for the partnership of the trainer, Reginald Pettipas, Ruth Irving, and Gilles Landry, and then with the Captaintreacherous – Bittorsweet Terror colt Bazooka Hanover, who looked ripe for passing in midstretch but grittily went on to defeat Caviart Skipper by a neck, with Fernet About It just photoed out for the deuce, in 1:56.4 for owner Steve Heimbacker.

The cardopening Stallion Series winner, the Sweet Lou – Edra Hanover colt Emblaze Hanover, had several distinctions for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Ron Burke, and Burke Racing Stable LLC, Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky, Jason Melillo, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby – he was the fastest winner in this sector in 1:53.3; he gave Kakaley-Burke the distinction of being the only teaming to win both a Sire Stake and a Stallion Series race; and he was the only StS winner not to be on the lead at the half, using "pocket rocket" tactics en route to the win.

In a stretch duel of sons of Betting Line, Andres Hanover (out of Anadarko Hanover) held off the late shot of Rifleman by a neck in 1:54 for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Andrew Harris, and the partnership of Michael Goldberg Racing Inc. and A Harris Racing LLC. The other StS credit for Betting Line was also a battle between two of his colts – Batterup Hanover (out of Beachbunny Hanover) withstood favored Caviart Richmond by a half-length in 1:55.4 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder, the latter co-owner with William Ezzo and Barry Spak.

Finally, Rollbin, a son of A Rocknroll Dance – Binions, sustained late on the front end for a half-length decision over Get Along in 1:55.2. The meet's leading driver, Tim Tetrick, was in the sulky for trainer Jim King Jr. and his wife/owner Jo Ann Looney-King.

From the PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia