Lather Up foals impressive in Philly

CHESTER, PA – Three of the five two-year-old harness racing pacing fillies who won during Tuesday (June 20) qualifiers at Harrah’s Philadelphia were very closely linked: driver Montrell Teague, trainer Clyde Francis, owner George Teague Jr., and first-crop sire Lather Up.

The fastest of the trio of triumphant Team Teague horses, Kamala, has another family link: his dam, Mozzi Minaj, is a full sister to the immortal Wiggle It Jiggleit. Kamala went wire-to-wire in 1:56.3, with back fractions of :57.2 – :28.1. The other two fillies in the Team Teague winning arsenal were The Future Is Here (dam Future Destiny, 1:57.1) and Itsonlyupfromhere (dam Enniskerry, 1:57.2).

These three were joined in the Lather Up winners column by the gelding Hundred Dollar Man (dam What The Girl), who won in 1:55 in his first charted line last week and then here came from far back to win in 2:00.1 – :57 – :27.1 for owner/trainer/George’s sister/Montrell’s aunt Brenda Teague.

On the pacing male side, the Huntsville – Gigi Deo gelding Hunt Or Be Hunted tied as fastest two-year-old of the day with a 1:56.3 triumph, an engine score with :56.4 – :28 back numbers for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Jamie Sullivan, and owner Frank Chick.

A filly was fastest freshman of the day on the trotting gait, with the first-crop sire Greenshoe and Hollywood Hill producing Green Fee, who rushed to the lead down the back and won in 2:01 – :58.3 – :29 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Nancy Takter, and the partnership of Christina Takter, Michael Falk, and Suleyman Yuksel Stable Inc.

The What The Hill – Oh Maybelline colt Deville Hill made a move at the quarter, rushed to the lead, then stepped home in :28.2 to complete a 2:02 mile to best his contemporaries’ winning times on the day. Dexter Dunn drove for trainer Paul Stafford and owner Thomas Ceraso Jr.

With the two-year-olds now showing up in regularly-scheduled races on the pari-mutuel cards, this will likely be the last of the special early baby race recaps for this season, and the same is likely to be true of Pocono after tomorrow’s racing.

The qualifiers can be seen on the PHHA’s website, www.phha.org. Remember that drivers are not necessarily wearing their colors in these non-purse races.

For complete qualifier results, click here.

From the PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia