Pilar Hanover controls Philly pacing feature

CHESTER PA – Pilar Hanover (Papi Rob Hanover), on the board in all four of her initial 2025 starts, was quite impressive in finally reaching this year’s win column, winning a $14,000 handicap pace for up-and-coming female harness racing pacers at Harrah’s Philadelphia Friday afternoon while lowering her mark to 1:51.1.

PILAR HANOVER REPLAY

Corey Callahan, top driver on the day at the southeast Pennsylvania oval with four sulky successes, had a simple strategy: take Pilar Hanover to the front and don’t let anyone else go. The pair reached the top before a :26.3 initial split, then would not yield to parked challenger Strutsville, who raced alongside to the half in :54.4 and to near the three-quarters in 1:22.3 before fading.

Cant See Me, third behind two decent fillies named Rodeo Drive Deo and Miki And Minnie in her last start and favored here, had to go three-wide as the parked horse faded, and though she rallied gamely she still came up 1 1/2 lengths short. Jim King Jr. trains Pilar Hanover for partners Jo Ann Looney-King, his wife, and Paton Racing Inc.

There was a pair of $12,000 subfeatures for developing pacing distaffs one level below the feature class. The quicker of the two was the 1:52.2 victory turned in by Intricacy, another three-year-old daughter of Papi Rob Hanover, who tucked behind early fireworks then advanced uncovered midbackstretch. She continued strongly and got the better of leader Lyons Benz by three quarters of a length in the stretch drive, with George Napolitano Jr. handling the Nik Drennan trainee for Joseph Davino, Brad Shackman, Patrick O’Brien, and Drennan Stable LLC.

INTRICACY REPLAY

The uncovered route also proved successful in the other subfeature section, as the Captaintreacherous sophomore Lyons Anitasangel came from sixth uncovered at the half and zoomed home in :56.1 to set a lifetime best of 1:53.4. The alliance of Callahan and King again prevailed for owner Threelyonsracing.

In the faster of two $11,000 contests for freshman pacing fillies, Papi Rob Hanover picked up a siring triple in the day’s features as Call Me Angelita (dam Angel’s Pride) won in 1:53.4 to equal the season’s record for her group on a 5/8-mile oval (tying Spoon Fed’s clocking at The Meadows). The Scott Di Domenico trainee hustled to the top in :28.1, hung up middle splits of :57.1 and 1:26.1, then still had a :27.3 kicker in her to hint at better things to come for the ownership of Triple  D And Oompa Farm, Michael Rekoon, Craig Henderson, and Steve Stewart. Call Me Aneglita was driven by Tim Tetrick, who started his Friday at 9:02 a.m. in Meadowlands qualifiers, came down here, was hustling back up the Jersey Turnpike afterward for night racing, and then starting his Saturday at The Meadows.

In the other section for the two-year-old misses, the Perfect Sting – Captain’s Muse filly PA Perfect was content to sit in the pocket behind Lady Oakley, who got to set her own pace, then ripped outside and paced home in :56.1 – :26.4 to complete a 1:57.3 victory in her first start. Corey Callahan drove the promising freshman for trainer Chris Choate and owners Son Of A Beach Racing, Albert Zullo, and Craig Adam Smith.

The racing week closes out on Sunday with a 12:40 card, featuring a $13,000 fast-class handicap pace where the average mark of the seven entrants is 1:48.2. 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