Hemsworth N holds out “Mad Max” at Philly

CHESTER PA – Hemsworth N and Mad Max Hanover were the two harness racing horses assigned the outermost starting slots in the $15,000 fast-class handicap pace Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, and they backed the Race Office’s judgment, as the Sweet Lou gelding Hemsworth N just held together over Mad Max Hanover by a head in 1:50.4 over “good” going.

HEMSWORTH N REPLAY

Hemsworth N bolted away quickly for driver Dexter Dunn and had cleared to command by the midpoint on the first turn. Mad Max Hanover did not show that kind of early foot and did not have the luck to find a hole, so he had to ride outside as the $512,653-winning Hemsworth N set fractions of :26.2, :54.4, and 1:22.4.

Mad Max Hanover never saw a pylon while out in the air, and into the stretch Hemsworth N looked like he may have shaken off his pesky rival. But Mad Max Hanover, the favorite vs. the second-choice winner, showed the heart of a lion, gaining from midstretch and actually going past the leader just past the wire. But the day belonged to Hemsworth N, who is trained by Jared Bako for 1362313 Ontario LTD. (Ownerships of this type, if you’ve wondered, are legally known as “numbered companies,” have the numbers assigned by government’s Corporations Canada, must be registered in the business’s home province, and can do public business under another name.)

Talented developing male pacers had $14,000 and $13,500 contests on the Sunday Philly card. The higher-level of these events saw the Stay Hungry gelding Zeppole Hanover get hung to the three-eighths before making the lead, but then stayed strong to see of major danger Dublin Dasher in 1:51.1 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Andrew Harris, the latter co-owner with William Pollock and Bruce Areman. In the other up-and-comers event, the Matador Hall gelding Toreador GB sat a pocket trip, pulled out at headstretch, then held off the late move of Captain Marvel to win by a neck in 1:52.3 for trainer Robert Cleary and L P F Racing.

ZEPPOLE HANOVER REPLAY

 

Toreador GB’s driver Andrew McCarthy had a triple on the card, as did owner Howard Taylor.

Racing resumes on Thursday at Philly, with a 12:25 first post; a well-matched field of talented fast-class trotters will be featured in a $15,000 handicap contest. Some of these veterans may be racing here on May 26 in the Maxie Lee Trot, one of three $100,000 Invitationals on Harrah’s traditional “Super Sunday” card on Memorial Day weekend. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

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

From the PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia