Chester, PA — Scott Zeron kept Venerate reserved off a blistering pace, went wide in the lane and trotted the fastest mile in the history of Harrah’s Philadelphia, 1:50.1, in winning the $100,000 Maxie Lee Memorial Invitational Trot Sunday afternoon.
The clocking knocked a fifth of a second off the former record of Market Share and Hillexotic, who recorded their record clockings in the 2014 and 2023 Lee, respectively.
Hillexotic and Take All Comers went out flying, with the latter making the top and then hanging out the upstart Benjamin Hanover past a :26.1 quarter. Benjamin Hanover continued on to the half in :54.1, but surrendered to Hillexotic when that one went to the lead by the 1:21.4 three-quarters.
Amigo Volo was on the back of Hillexotic, and on Amigo Volo’s back was Venerate, who went wide into the stretch, trotted up to take over, then held off the heavy favorite Dover In Motion, who also was out in the cover flow. Venerate, sent off at 13-1, was able to keep the chalk behind him by 1-1/2 lengths at the finish, with Amigo Volo and Hillexotic next in line at the wire.
Zeron praised Venerate’s trainer Marcus Melander after the race, saying, “You did a great job with him this past week,” referring to his fourth-place finish in his most recent start in the Cutler at The Meadowlands in relation to his track record mile.
“He raced super,” Melander said. “He got a good trip, and he looked good. He raced really good in the Cutler, too, he just got way back and they all sprinted home pretty fast. He’s coming along great. He needed a couple of starts and now it looks like he’s getting back in form here. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season with him.
“He probably will have the Crawford Farms (Open Trot) at the end of June next. He’s raced for three weeks in a row, so he deserves a little break.”
Venerate was the winner of the Mohawk Million at two, but the 6-year-old has been a bit in-and-out since his big year at two. The 1:50.1 equaled his fastest time, set in his only win last year at The Meadowlands.
Venerate is owned by Courant Inc., Holly Lane Stud East LTD, Kemppi Stables Oy Inc., and Venerate Partners.
