Trotting colts in PASS action in Philly

CHESTER, PA – Pennsylvania-sired sophomore harness racing trotting colts came to Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon for their third preliminary state-sired rounds, with two $71,167 Sire Stakes divisions captured by a pair of 5-1 shots, each stopping the timer in 1:53.

The Greenshoe colt Supernova Hanover dropped four seconds from his mark in winning for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Per Engblom, and Engblom Stable, Douglas Sipple and the Mal & Janet Burroughs LLC of the new Hall Of Famer. Supernova Hanover got the ride in the golden chair as favored Luke The Spook and Greenspan dueled during a :27 third quarter, then cleared and moved out in the stretch to catch the chalk by a half-length, gaining in the :55 back half.

SUPERNOVA HANOVER REPLAY

It was again pacesetter and pocketsitter in the second Sire Stakes division, but this time it was the pacesetter, the Bar Hopping gelding Usain Hanover, who prevailed, holding off the longest shot on the board, Ordained, by a neck while covering his last half in :55.4. David Miller drove the Nifty Norman pupil for Enzed Racing Stable Inc.

USAIN HANOVER REPLAY

David Miller and Greenshoe picked up stakes doubles when they paired on the fastest of three winners in $20,000 Stallion Series divisions, the 1:54 mile of Going Green, with the gelding reducing his lifetime best by 4 1/5 seconds. Going Green did hard work uncovered to make the lead, then held off the rival at his back, Green Pastures, by a length for trainer Jenny Melander and the partnership of Melander Racing Inc., Clark Stables LLC, and Noonan Harness Racing LLC.

GOING GREEN REPLAY

Splendid (Father Patrick) has now won three Stallion Series races among his seven-race winning streak, on Friday putting up a time of 1:56 for driver Chris Lems, trainer Todd Rooney, and owners Rooney Racing and Trotting For Bourbon. The colt was in the two-hole when pacesetter Loxahatchee lost stride turning for home and had the largest lead at the wire among today’s stakes horses, 1¼ lengths over Bird And Grenade.

SPLENDID REPLAY

The International Moni gelding Sainthood has now won his last two starts, here overcoming the outside post eight to take his StS cut in 1:55.4. Sainthood set the pace then withstood Takemetochurch Deo by a neck for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Joe Pavia Jr., and Bay Pond Racing Stable.

SAINTHOOD REPLAY

21-year-old Carter Dalgety made his first driving day in the United States a memorable one by guiding 11-1 shot Handlelikeaporsche (Lazarus N) to a 1:51.1 win in the day’s final race. The New Zealander, whose father Cran served as a mentor to the younger Dexter Dunn, is imitating Dexter’s brief trip to North America few years ago to sample the racing life, and Carter may come back permanently in a bit; if he does, he could have an “in” with the many Down Under trainers on the East Coast, such as Hall Of Fame ballot candidate Chris Ryder, the trainer of Handlelikeporsche.

Driver Simon Allard and trainer/owner Mark Akins continued in sizzling form by combining for four Friday winners.

The racing week closes out on Sunday with a 12:40 start; fast-class pacers who can threaten 1:50 comprise the day’s feature, a $15,000 contest. Free Philly programs are or will be available at www.phha.org.

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

From the PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia