Pennsylvania’s best Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds both got their time in the spotlight over Labor Day weekend. On Monday, Parx played host to Pennsylvania’s Day at the Races, hosting a 12 race card that was restricted to PA Breds and was highlighted five stakes races.
On the Standardbred side, the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes wrapped up with Pocono holding championships and consolations for two year olds on Saturday, Harrah’s Philadelphia had the three year olds on Sunday, and The Meadows had the PA Stallion Series finals on Monday. The Bloomsburg Fairgrounds also held PA Sire Stakes cards on Sunday and Monday, and both cards set fair circuit records.
SATURDAY
The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono held the PA Sire Stakes Championships and Consolations on Saturday afternoon. Each consolation went for a purse of $50,000 with the championships each carrying a purse of $253,000.
The two-year-old colt and gelding trotters were the first ones to get their turn in the spotlight and as expected, the Svanstedt entry of Captain Corey and Fly Light were bet down to favoratism.
Johan Palema and Dexter Dunn would go to the front and cut the mile with Captain Corey sitting third. Svanstedt moved Captain Corey went first over near 5/8 and pulled up alongside Johan Palema at ¾. Captain Corey struck the front and opened up through the stretch to win by two lengths and to set a stakes record of 1:53:3.
Captain Corey is a son of Googoo Gaagaa and is out of the Angus Hall mare Luv U All. He is owned by SRF Stables, Knutsson Trotting, Midnight Sun Partners, and Ake Svanstedt. Captain Corey is now 4 for 4 in his career.
Two-year-old colt and gelding pacers were up next. Southwind Gendry would prevail as the winner for trainer Ron Burke and driver Dave Miller. Sent off as the favorite, Southwind Gendry found himself sitting fifth as Bayfield Beach ripped off a 26 second first quarter.
Always A Miki and Dexter Dunn cleared to the front passed 3/8. Southwind Gendry grabbed cover as he followed the first over Chase H Hanover. Miller swung out three wide in the stretch and paced passed Chase H Hanover to win in 1:51:3.
The Always B Miki gelding has now on 4 of 6 career starts for owners Burke Racing Stable, Phil Collura, Knox Services, J & T Silva, and Purnel and Libby.
Two-year-old Filly Trotters got their turn in the spotlight in the 11th. Flawless Country was sent off as the favorite and didn’t disappoint. After leading through a 27:3 first quarter, Gimme Shelter overtook Flawless Country past the ¼. After a front stretch brush by Anoka Hanover, Flawless Country found herself sitting third at the ½. After finding room at the unside, Flawless Country rallied up the Pocono Pike to win by a long neck in 1:54:3.
Ake Svanstedt trains and drives the son of Father Patrick and co-owns along with the Wolfgang A Stable. Flawless Country has now won 4 of 6 in her career and has never finished worse than second.
Two-year-old filly pacers would wrap up the day, with Grace Hill being sent off as the favorite. Dave Miller and Blue Diamond Eyes found the lead prior to a 27:3 ¼ mile at 4/1. Marsala Hanover and Grace Hill both made front stretch moves, shuffling Blue Diamond Eyes to third.
Ducking into the Pocono Pike, Blue Diamond Eyes flew up the Pocono Pike to win in 1:51. Ron Bruke trains the daughter of Captaintreacherous. She is owned by Thomas and Scott Dillon and has now won three of six lifetime starts and took a new lifetime mark.
SUNDAY
Three-year-olds stepped into the spotlight on Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia. The card featured an all stakes 50-cent pick 4, which carried a guaranteed pool of $10,000 and had a low 15% takeout.
In the three-year-old colt and gelding pace, Allywag Hanover took all of the play as expected. Chief Mate and Scott Zeron blasted off the gate from post 8 before The Greek Freak would move to the front through a blistering 25:4 first quarter. Allywag Hanover moved to the front past a 53:4 half.
Sandbetweenmytoes would move first up from fourth towing No Lou Zing. Allywag Hanover continued to lead through ¾ in 1:21:1 with No Lou Zing beginning to rally three-wide behind him. No Lou Zing and Dexter dunn stormed down the center to win in 1:49:3.
Nancy Takter trains the Sweet Lou gelding who has now won five of nine this year and equals his lifetime mark. He is owned by 3 Brothers Stables, Rojan Stables, and Caviart Farms.
The 10th race featured the three-year-old colt and gelding trotters. Amigo Volo took control as the favorite just prior to the ¼ as expected. After rating a 29:4 second quarter, Amigo Volo stepped it up and laid down a 55:1 back half to win by 2-3/4 in 1:52:3 for Dexter Dunn.
Nifty Norman trains the Father Patrick gelding for Pinske Stables and David Miller. Amigo Volo has now won ten of twentyone in his career and gets his fourth win of the season.
The day’s biggest upset came in the filly trot. Sister Sledge was sent off as the favorite, but it was her stablemate who would emerge victorious. Next Level Stuff and Tim Tetrick went to the front through a 27 second quarter. Meanwhile Queen Of The Hill and Sister Sledge were both parked behind her with Crucial sitting in the pocket at 20/1.
Next Level Stuff opened up by 1-1/2 lengths past ¾ befire Crucial moved out at the top of the lane and blew past to win in 1:52:4.
Dave Miller drove for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, W J Donovan, J & T Silva, Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Crucial is a daughter of Father Patrick and has now won four of eleven this year and took a new lifetime mark.
Filly pacers would wrap up the day, and as expected, Party Girl Hill remained perfect and re-wrote the record books in doing so.
Rocknificent made the early lead with Party Girl Hill sitting third through a 26:4 ¼ mile. Dexter Dunn moved Party Girl Hill to the outside and brushed to the front prior to the paddock turn. After ¾ in 1:22, Party Girl Hill opened up to win by 2-1/2 lengths in a track record 1:48:4.
Chris Ryder trains the daughter of Captaintreacherous for owner Tom Hill. She is now nine for nine in her career and took a new lifetime mark in the 1:48:4 effort.
MONDAY
Parx
Parx played host to Pennsylvania’s Day at the Races on Labor Day. The 12 race card was restricted strictly to statebreds and featured five stakes races.
The Storm Cat Stakes was first at 1-1/16 miles on the main track. Wait For It took most of the play and was sent off as the favorite. Wait For It sat inside of Tudox Expectations through a modest 24:4 first quarter. After taking the lead by a ½ length past the ½ mile pole, Wait For It turned away Tudox Expectations as Someday Jones tried to get involved from third.
Wait For It began to open up past the 1/8 pole and would go onto win by 2-1/4 in 1:44:1. Anthony Nunez was aboard the Uptowncharlybrown gelding for trainer Ed Coletti. Uptowncharlybrown Stud LLC owns the winner, who has now won three of five his year and nine of twentythree lifetime.
The 8th race was the Banjo Picker Stakes at 6 furlongs on the main track. The entry of Midtowncharlybrown and Midnightcharly was sent off as the favorite. Dancing Bull wnet out to a 1 length early lead with Midtowncharlybrown sitting just in behind through a blistering 21:2 first quarter. Dancing Bull would open up to a four length lead past the ¼ pole, but Midtowncharlybrown split horses to win in 1:10:3.
His stablemate, Midnightcharly, who was some 13 lengths off the lead early, stormed up the rail to be second.
Roberto Rosado rode the son of Uptowncharlybrown for trainer Ed Coletti Jr. The eleven time winner is owned by Uptowncharlybrown Stud LLC and Godric LLC.
The Mrs. Penny Stakes was up next for the three-year-old fillies at 1-1/16 miles on the turf. Shemakesmehappy was sent off as the favorite on a wide-open betting board.
Moon Chant led them to the backstretch at 20/1 as the field took closer order past the ½ mile pole. Shemakesmehappy engaged Moon Chant near the ¼ pole as they fanned out. It’s A Journey who was 10th early split horses to get up and win narrowly over Puca Penny in 1:44:2.
Mychel Sanchez was aboard the winner for trainer Jamie Ness. The 7 year old daughter of Jump Start is owned by Gap View Stables and Jagger Inc. She has now won 15 of 47 lifetime starts and is now 5 for 7 in 2020.
The 10th race was the Dr Teresa Garofalo Memorial Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 furlongs on the main track. Bronx Beauty was set off as the favorite with four horses taking most of the play.
Pink Caddy sat just behind a three horse speed dual through a 21:3 first quarter. As they moved around the far turn she moved up three wide to engage the leaders through a 44:3 half mile. Despite a stubborn Sunny Dale, Pink Caddy and Mychel Sanchez got up to win by a length in 1:10:4.
Randy Allan trains the three-year-old daughter of El Padrino who has now won four of six in her career. Club Risque Stable and Gregory Quick own the winner.
The final stake of the day was the Marshall Jenney Handicap at 5 furlongs on the turf. The entry of Ventriloquism and Word On A Wing was sent off as the favorite.
Critical Way and Ruben Silvera broke very alertly and never looked back, leading through fractions of 22:1 and 45:1 enroute to a 4 length win in 57:1.
Critical Way was sent off at 11/1 and has now won 5 of 18 lifetime. Jose Delgado trains the Tizway gelding for the owner, Moster Racing Stables.
The Meadows
In the southwestern corner of the commonwealth, The Meadows held eight $40,000 PA Stallion Series Finals.
In the two-year-old filly trot, Love Muffin overcame post 8 to win in 1:55:4 for driver Jim Pantaleano and trainer Dave Wiest. Love Muffin went right to the top and never looked back, winning by a length and a half. Love Muffin is a daughter of Andover Hall and is owned by Ed Kimmel and Don Wiest.
Two-year-old filly pacers were next and the heavy favorite, Odds On Whitney, did not disappoint. Leaving from post 4, Odds On Whitney sat 6th through a reletively fast pace and stormed home in 27:4 to win in 1:52:2. Tim Tetrick drove the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Odds On Racing.
The three-year-old filly trot final went to Dune Hill. Leaving from post 7, Dune Hill fot away 5th and steadily advanced past the half before drawing off to a 2-3/4 length win in 1:54:4 for Matt Kakaley and trainer Ron Burke. Joe Di Scala Jr owns and bred the daughter of Muscl Hill.
It was all Going Gone Hanover in the three-year-old filly pace, as she went onto win by 5-3/4 lengths in 1:51:3. The daughter of Captaintrecherous was driven by Andrew McCarthy, trained by Brett Biddle, and is owned by Yankeeland Partners LLP.
Two-year-old colt pacers hit the track next, Somewhereinverona and Aaron Merriman rallied to win in 1:53:1. Blake Macintosh trains for owners Petitpas Stables LTD, Ozzie Mackay, Blake Macintosh, and Gilles Landry.
Seriously Hanover and Andy Miller got up just in time to win the three-year-old colt and gelding pace in 1:51:3. After sitting 6th early, Seriously Hanover took the overland route to win by a head for trainer Ron Coyne Jr. The Western Ieal colt is owned by Michael Cimaglio, Stephen Demeter, and Stephen Giagni.
Lepanto was a gate-to-wire winner in the two-year-old colt and gelding trot. Leaving from post 6 Jim Pantaleano placed the son of Bar Hopping on the lead and held on to win by ¾ of a length in 1:56. Ake Svanstedt trains for owners Esa Lahtinen, Jussi Hietalahti, and Arvo Ylitalo.
The final championship of the day went to Overserved and Tim Tetrick in the three-year-old colt and gelding trot. The Explosive Matter colt was a 1:54:2 winner for trainer George Ducharme and owners W J Donovan, Stephen Michaels, Joe Sbrocco, and Jim Winske.
Bloomsburg
The Bloomsburg Fairgrounds in Columbia County held two days of racing on Sunday and Monday, during which two fair circuit records were broken or equaled.
On Sunday in a $5,300 division of the two-year-old colt trot, Killer Instinct and Wayne Long got away third behind the dueling leaders of Swing Batter Swing and Kaseville who cut fractions of 30:3, 1:00. Killer Instinct moved to the front just prior to 3/4 before firing home in 29:2 in route to a 2:00:1 win.
The mile was the fastest ever at a PA fair by a two year old trotter, breaking the mark of Vulcan Hanover who set the former mark last year. Bobby Rougeaux trains the Southwind Frank gelding for owners Brocious Racing Stable and the Lone Wolf Stable. Killer Instinct has now won nine of thirteen in his career.
On the second day, No Name Yankee and Roger Hammer went right to the front in a $7,950 three-year-old colt trot and never looked back. After setting fractions of 30:2, 1:00:3, and 1:29:3, No Name Yankee laid down a 28:4 last quarter to win in 1:58:2.
The mile equaled the fastest trotting mile ever by a trotter at any Pennsylvania fair. The trot mark is now held by three horses, those being Shark Kosmos (Roger Hammer, Gratz, 2003), Plumb (Dave Wade, Somerset, 2020), and now No Name Yankee.
