$300,000 Max Hempt Pace won in impressive style

Confederate (Sweet Lou) demolished his seven harness racing rivals in the $300,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial for three-year-old pacing colts with a blistering 1:48.3 effort that saw him all alone at the wire.

The victory pushed Confederate’s career earnings to $1,281,629 for owners Diamond Creek Racing, trainer Brett Pelling, and driver Tim Tetrick. It was ten years since Tetrick had driven Captaintreacherous to victory in the same event.

Confederate picked up his fourth straight triumph and has hit the board in all of his 14 lifetime starts, with 11 wins, a pair of seconds and one third to his credit.  His most recent victories include the Cane Pace on Aug. 5 and the Meadowlands Pace on July 15, both clocked at The Big M in 1:47.

Confederate left the gate as the 1-9 favorite and was content to sit through fractions of :26.1 and :53.3 as the leaders—12-1 Christchurch (Yannick Gingras) and 18-1 Stockade Seelster (David Miller) battled it out to the 1:21 three quarter mile marker. From there, Tetrick had Confederate in a perfect spot, second over before pacing three-wide around the final turn and sweeping by his rivals.

CONFEDERATE REPLAY

“I got away fourth and was happy to be there and I followed second over,” Tetrick said. “He just likes to win and he’s super-fast. He’s sharp and he loves passing horses and as long as the trip allows him to do that, he’ll keep on winning. I think he’s getting fresher and stronger as the weeks go on.”

Stockade Seelster put in a gutsy performance to finish second for trainer Ian Moore, while Christchurch was third for trainer Nancy Takter. Longshot Hungry Angel Boy (30-1) was fourth for trainer Tony Alagna and driver Todd McCarthy.

Confederate is the first foal out of the unraced A Rocknroll Dancer broodmare Geothermal, and has a trio of filly half-siblings: the 2-year-old Davenport (by Captain Crunch); the yearling Found (by Always B Miki); and the suckling Gallatin (by Captain Crunch).

Favorite holds on in $200,000 Hempt Consolation I

Ken Hanover (Captaintreacherous) held on to capture the $200,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial Consolation I in a career matching 1:49 with driver Tim Tetrick at the lines, besting rival Command by half a length.

Trained and co-owned by Roland Mallar for partners P. Leavitt, W. Jordan, and D. Osterholt, Ken Hanover notched career win number ten in 23 starts and seasonal victory six in ten outings this year, upping his career earnings to $353,395.

Command (Todd McCarthy) left the gate as a 20-1 longshot but was quickly overtaken by 1-9 favorite Ken Hanover to the :26.2 opening panel. These two rivals stayed steady in their positions, but 13-1 Ervin Hanover was hung out to the :53.1 half, before fading for pilot Yannick Gingras. Joemikiyouresofine moved up on the outside for driver Simon Allard to the 1:23 three-quarter marker, eventually finishing third at odds of 80-1.

Ken Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., was a $50,000 yearling purchase at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale at Harrisburg and is the first foal out of the American Ideal mare KJ’s Justine p, 3, 1:51.4 ($104,208). He has a half-sister in the 2-year-old filly Kix Hanover (by Captain Crunch).

KEN HANOVER REPLAY

$100,000 Hempt Consolation II goes in 1:49.3

Act Fast (Downbytheseaside) bested seven harness racing rivals easily in the $100,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial Consolation II at Pocono Downs Saturday (Aug. 19) in the first sub-1:50 mile of the day, as he paced to a 1:49.3 clocking.

Trained by Ronnie Burke, Act Fast was driven by Yannick Gingras to a new lifetime mark as the even-money favorite (1-1), garnering his seventh win in 23 starts and upping his career earnings to $318,392. This bay colt, who was bred by Frederick Hertrich, III, of Seaford, DE, is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Richard Lombardo Racing, and Beasty LLC.

Hungry Man (9-5) was second by four lengths for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna, while the hard trying, 20-1 longshot Lyons Surfing nabbed third place honors for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jimmy King, Jr. Another Burke-trainee, Lousain Bolt, got up for fourth at 19-1 for driver David Miller.

Hungry Man took the lead out of the gate but Act Fast quickly took over in the turn to the :27 first quarter, and those top two spots did not change as the field paced through even fractions of :54.3 and 1:22, before the winner cruised under the wire in his fourth season win in 12 tries.

ACT FAST REPLAY

Act Fast is the first foal out of the Roll With Joe mare Act Lia A Diva p, 3, 1:52 ($93,619) and has two Captaintreacherous half-siblings: the 2-year-old colt Captain Hansen and the yearling filly Act Classy.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink