“Papa” breaks, Temporal Hanover takes $300,000 Beal

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Temporal Hanover (Walner-Think Twice) got the lead prior to the opening quarter and stayed on top from there, winning Saturday’s $300,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old male harness racing trotters by one length over Pretender in 1:53. Pour Mea Double finished third and Hambletonian champ Cool Papa Bell was fourth despite making a break at the start.

Temporal Hanover, who was beaten by three-quarters of a length in finishing third in the Hambletonian final on Aug. 6 and by a head in his Hambo elimination a week earlier, took the field through fractions of :26.4, :56.3, and 1:24.4 to capture the Beal as the 4-5 favorite.

“He was used a little hard, but I figured I was going to try to steal as much as I could going to the half,” winning driver Brian Sears said. “He kicked home.

“This horse really deserves it. He’s been racing great all year. He’s won a couple big ones, and he deserves another.”

Temporal Hanover, trained by Marcus Melander, won the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Main Event on July 9 and has posted four wins, three seconds, and a third in eight starts this season. He was a multiple Grand Circuit winner last year.

TEMPORAL HANOVER REPLAY

“It worked out perfectly today,” Melander said. “It’s a little tough to go to the lead because there are some strong winds out there, so he did a good job.

“He’s a good horse, he’s an honest horse, and he’s been racing good all year. He was first over both the eliminations and final of the Hambletonian, so I thought he was going to have a good shot today.”

Temporal Hanover is owned by AMG Stable, Kenneth Kjellgren, Rick Wahlstedt, and Heights Stable. The colt was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. For his career, he has won nine of 20 races and earned $766,291.

He paid $3.80 to win.

The Earl Beal Jr. Memorial honors the former president of the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association who helped bring casino gaming to the state’s racetracks.

In the $200,000 Beal Consolation I, Molotov Cocktail (Chapter Seven–Moonlight Cocktail) settled in fourth as World At War Deo and King Of The North battled head-to-head to the half, circled three-wide on the backstretch, picked up cover from El Toro Loco on the final turn, and marched to victory by three-quarters of a length over B A Superhero in 1:52.4. El Toro Loco was third.

MOLOTOV COCKTAIL REPLAY

Molotov Cocktail, the 8-5 favorite, was driven by Brian Sears for trainer Linda Toscano. The colt is owned by Richard Gutnick, Tom Pontone, and Gary Cocco and was bred by Gutnick and T L P Stable. He has won seven of 15 lifetime races and earned $348,952.

In the $100,000 Beal Consolation II, Stride The Hill (Muscle Hill-Open Access) left quickly from post six to get good early position, was on the pylons in third at three-quarters, and rallied inside through the lane following a misstep by favorite Robertsin to win by three-quarters of a length over Nice Guy Eddie in 1:53.3. Famous Father finished third.

STRIDE THE HILL REPLAY

Stride The Hill, sent off at 9-1, was driven by Tim Tetrick for trainer Jim Campbell. The gelding is owned by Fashion Farms. He was bred by Fair Winds Farm. For his career, Stride The Hill has won four of 20 races and earned $136,652.

To read about the rest of the action from Sun Stakes Saturday, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA — Brian Sears quotes courtesy Derick Giwner