Final PASS legs before Championship Finals

CHESTER, PA – The two winners of the $73,635 divisions of the Pennsylvania Sire Stake for two-year-old harness racing trotting fillies today (Aug. 28) both signaled their readiness for this coming Sunday’s Championship at Harrah’s Philadelphia by taking new lifetime marks in this Sunday afternoon’s successes.

Faster by a tick was the Cantab Hall – No I’m Not miss Cando Volo, who sat in the pocket behind Angelpedia and her factions of :27.2, :56.3, and 1:25.3, then came on to catch that filly by half a length in 1:55.2 on a day where being on or near the lead was greatly helpful to a horse’s chances of success.

Corey Callahan, who would also win two Stallion Series divisions, drove Cando Volo for trainer Vernon Beachy and owner Ryan Smith, and the winner was the only non-favorite in the seven stakes races of the day to win.

In fact, she was the longest shot on the board, paying $32.00 to win.

CANDO VOLO REPLAY

In the other division, the Donato Hanover – Motivational miss Portulaca captured the top spot among her preliminaries’ point winners with her third win in five career starts (4-2-1-1 in the PaSS), this one in 1:55.3.

Montrell Teague kept the Kathleen La Montagne-trained filly, which she co-owns with Donald La Montagne, in the two-hole almost all the way through fractions of :28.3, :57.2, and 1:26.3, popping out near the last-named station, going to the lead, then held off a late bid by Tipsy Moni by 1¼ lengths.

PORTULACA REPLAY

Aside from their all being favorites, there were several other interweaving’s in the connections of the five $20,000 Stallion Series winners; since we have mentioned Corey Callahan already, we’ll start with his. The faster of his two Stallion winners was the Bar Hopping – Snowflake Hanover filly Totally Relentless, maximizing her talent to take a 1:57.1 maiden mark for trainer Linda Toscano and the ownership of Richard Gutnick, Thomas Pontone and R-And-I Farms LLC.

“Captain Corey” (yes, the 2021 Hambletonian winner was named after him) also scored with the International Moni – Miss Athens distaff Foolish Moni, her third win but first in the U.S., in 1:57.2 for trainer Jessica Fallon and owners Tim Klemencic and Blake MacIntosh. This training/owning team also clicked with the Father Patrick – Gin And Lindy filly Lindys Irishcream, fastest Stallion Series winner in 1:57 under the guidance of Simon Allard, giving her StS wins in her last two trips behind the gate.

Father Patrick completed a siring double with Jameson N Lime (dam On The Rocks), who now has six wins in her brief career (two in the Stallion Series) after a 1:57.2 triumph for owners Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel, Big L Stable, and Mary Owlett, trainer Steve Schoeffel, and driver Brady Brown.

Brown also had a Stallion Series double, and his other win came with the leading prelim pointwinner (4-2-1-1), the Fordham Road – Fast Reaction filly Fortune Forecast, who took a new mark of 1:57.4 for trainer Rick Beinhauer, also co-owner with Regina Beinhauer.

Today’s results, from the final PaSS/PaStS prelims of the year, assure that no one from any of the eight divisions will have a chance to “sweep” their respective competitions – take all four preliminaries and then the Championship — but a first-place Championship check will likely be more than adequate compensation. Philly will have four of those Sire Stakes Championships for two-year-olds, plus whatever consolation races that fill, next Sunday, September 4 during a card offering over $1 million in purses.

For complete race results, click here.

From the PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia