Racing in Pennsylvania throughout the 2024 season has been exciting, delivering thrills, introducing new talent, and showcasing the biggest names in racing. Both the harness and thoroughbred tracks featured non-stop stakes action from track to track, from the East side of the state to the West.
Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania opened in February, and kicked off their stakes season in March with the Game of Claims series. The Bobby Weiss Series commenced in early April, with an early look at some of the season’s three-year-old shining future stars. The finals were held on April 27th after three legs of the series were held.
International Moni sophomore filly Elista Hanover set her mark of 1:53.1, equaling the fastest trotting mile of the season at the track, in the $50,000 final for Trotting Fillies. It was all Blackhawk Zette with a clean sweep for Trotting Colts & Geldings, equaling his lifetime best of 1:54.2.
The three-year-old Pacing Fillies were just as dazzling, with the nail-biting final coming down to two that were unbeaten in the preliminaries. Whassup Hanover edged Beautiful Roz by a nose in 1:53. In the final for Pacing Colts & Geldings, Reggie The Fourth set a new lifetime mark of 1:50.4, and at odds of 14-1.
With the weather starting to show signs of spring, stakes action at Parx Racing was starting to heat up as well. In the $100,000 Unique Bella Stakes, the brilliant Morning Matcha dominated for trainer Butch Reid. With that win, the five year old mare edged closer to $1 million in career earnings.
In the $100,000 Page McKenney Handicap, Far Mo Power dug in with a furious rally and a late charge up the center of the track for the win in 1:25.82. It was his first start back after a long layoff due to a foot injury.
The action shifted to Harrah’s Philadelphia and a “super” Memorial Day Sunday. Venerate trotted in 1:50.1, the fastest mile in the history of Harrah’s Philly, in the $100,000 Maxie Lee Memorial Invitational Trot. Twin B Joe Fresh sizzled in the $100,000 Betsy Ross Invitational for older female pacers with a win by 6 3/4 lengths in 1:48.2, a stakes and track record.
Ruthless Hanover returned to the Super Sunday event with a vengeance, contesting the $100,000 Joseph Auger Memorial Invitational for older male pacers once again after his scorching world record 1:46.3 effort last year. This time, it was a 1:47.2 victory by a half-length and another jaw-dropping performance.
The $50,000 #Senditin Invitational drew an impressive field, and it was South Beach Star by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:48.2.
The cheering crowd at Penn National Race Course witnessed top jockey Frankie Dettori and his flying dismount not once, but twice on the stellar night of racing in June. First World War won the $400,000 Penn Mile by a nose in a three-horse photo finish with Aspenite and Trikari. The time of 1:33.50 was the fastest in Penn Mile history.
One race earlier, Dettori rode Poolside With Slim to victory in the $150,000 Penn Oaks, and it was her first stakes win.
A sea of fans, most wearing shades of purple, witnessed Captain Albano take the 58th Delvin Miller Adios Final in 1:49.2 at Hollywood Casino at the Meadows on a brilliant, sunny July 27th, holding off Wish You Well in the Lightning Lane. My Girl EJ clocked 1:48.4, the fastest distaff mile ever at the Meadows, in the Quinton Patterson Adioo Volo for sophomore filly pacers.
It was another dynamic Sun Stakes Saturday at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on August 17th. Captain Albano took an outside trip from the pocket to nip favorite Legendary Hanover before the wire in the $410,959 Max C. Hempt Memorial for three-year-old pacers by a nose in 1:48.3.
The lightly-raced Sig Sauer took advantage of early breaking horses, including T C I, to win the $410,959 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial Trot in 1:51.3.
The fillies exhibited their own brilliance, with Odds On Platinum coming first-over to catch Rocket Deo in the $342,466 James M. Lynch Memorial by a nose in a stakes-record-equaling 1:49.
In the final marquee event, Warrawee Michelle was an impressive gate-to-wire winner in the $342,466 Delmonica Hanover Trot in a track and stakes-record-equaling 1:51.3.
Throughout the season, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action shifted between Pocono Downs, the Meadows, and Harrah’s Philadelphia, and the finals for three-year-olds were held at the Meadows on September 5th. Each final offered a $252,000 purse. In the championship final for Pacing Fillies, Rose held off Papi Grad to win by 1 1/4, in a repeat of the two-year-old final.
Meshuggah took the Lightning Lane to a 1:54.4 stakes record win for Colt & Gelding Trotters, while Papi’s Rocket paced the fastest mile of his career in the Colt & Gelding Pacer’s final.
Longshot She’s A Shoe In took the Lightning Lane to a 16-1 upset for Filly Trotters to cap what was a rousing race card.
Presque Isle Downs took the spotlight with an electrifying card in September featuring the Grade II Masters and the Presque Isle Mile. Pennsylvania bred Roses for Debra made a bold rally up the rail to the dramatic win in the $300,250 Presque Isle Downs Masters in 1:13.92, and broke the track record in this prestigious race.
It was an exciting stretch run in the $150,000 Presque Isle Mile Stakes, with Forever Souper wearing down K. C. Chief. Forever Souper completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.23, also a track record for the distance.
The buzz about Pennsylvania Derby day at Parx started a few months prior to the entries, with two words on the lips of just about every fan and horse player – ‘Thorpedo Anna’. Parx was ecstatic to roll out the red carpet for such a fabulous filly to make her run in the Cotillion, and she gave the fans a race to remember.
Post time for the Cotillion and the break from the gate went smoothly. She got boxed in turning for home. No worries! With a gleam in her eye and determination in her strides, Thorpedo Anna powered her way outside of horses and ran down a game Gun Song by a neck.
Another fan-favorite, Seize the Grey, romped by 3 3/4 lengths in the $1 million Grade I Pennsylvania Derby, to the delight of his 2570 share owners and his loyal fans. The final time for the 1 1/8 mile was 1:51.89.
In the $250,000 Turf Monster Stakes, originally scheduled for 5 furlongs on the turf but run on the main track, nine horses scratched leaving just 5 to contest the race. Smooth B won by 4 1/2 lengths in 58.31.
Crisper rallied to win by 1/2 length in 1:43.19 in the $100,000 Alphabet Soup for older Pennsylvania breds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
The $400,000 Grade II Gallant Bob Stakes featured a field of 7 three-year-olds in a 6 furlong sprint on the main track, and it was Bentornato by a neck in 1:09.82.
Pennsylvania Fair season kicked off in June, and throughout the course of the summer, horses made their way from fair to fair, including Butler, Stoneboro, Crawford, Lycoming, Clearfield, Bedford, Honesdale, Washington, Dayton, Somerset, Indiana, Erie, Gratz, and Bloomsburg. The finals were held October 11 at the Meadows.
The brothers Schadel, Todd and Tony, triumphed throughout the finals, capturing five titles combined, including five championships as owners/trainers and three winning drives among those five titles.**.
Winners of the Fair Finals included: Two-year-old Filly Pace– Milagro 1:54.4, a $3000 Harrisburg sale purchase that may not have had the looks of a champion, but delivered the goods!
Three-year-old Filly Trot – Loveyoubunches in 1:56.3; Three-year-old Filly Pace – Showboat Hanover in 1:53.3;Two-year-old Filly Trot – H Moni Winner in 1:59.2; Three-year-old Colt & Gelding Trot – Cyclone Ban in 1:57, a career best; Two-year-old Colt & Gelding Pace – Sweet Parlay in a thrilling stretch duel with Compensate Me in 1:55; and Three-Year-old Colt & Gelding Pace – Ante Up Hanover in 1:52.2. **
Other notable events happening this racing season was the 50th anniversary of Parx on November 4, celebrated with a Winner’s Circle ceremony honoring the past, present and looking ahead to the future of the track in Bensalem. Keystone Park opened its doors on Tuesday, November 4, 1974, under clear skies, with a post time of 12:30 p.m. and with a nine-race card. A crowd of 14,248 turned out to witness the first major Thoroughbred track in Pennsylvania.
A second name change was announced in 1984 when Keystone gave way to being known as Philadelphia Park before becoming Parx Racing in 2010. Today, Parx offers exciting racing, with the best thoroughbred action in the region, and a strong lineup of trainers and jockeys.
The day before Thanksgiving was filled with riveting races at Parx with a stakes-filled day for Pennsylvania breds. It was all Warrior Johnny in a dominant win in the $75,000 Turkey Trot Stakes going 1 mile & 70 yards.
The $75,000 Let’s Give Thanks Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs was the 6th win in a row for the 5-year-old Spikezone, and his 11th win in 2024. He is now the co-winningest horse of 2024.
Crab Daddy broke his maiden in a big way in an upset win in the $100,000 Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes going 7 furlongs.
In the final stakes event of the day at Parx, Beach Daze won the $75,000 Cornucopia Stakes.
Penn National also hosted a terrific night with their Holiday Racing Festival on Thanksgiving Eve. PA bred Tudox Opportunity won the $50,000 Chocolate Town Stakes. He’s now 6-for-9 at Penn National Race Course.
Icona Mama won Wednesday’s $100,000 Shamrock Rose Stakes for 2-year-old PA bred fillies, at 6 furlongs. She won by 9 1/2 lengths!
In the final stakes of the night, Stassi held off a late charge from Doctor Abbie to win the $50,000 Susquehanna Valley Stakes. Despite the frosty night, the PA breds were on fire on this great night of racing.
Throughout the 2024 season, milestones were marked by some of Pennsylvania’s jockeys and drivers. Jockeys marking milestones were Angel Rodriguez (2000-Penn National); Inoel Beato (1000-Penn National); Frankie Pennington (3000-Parx); Ronald Allen Jr. 4000-Presque Isle); Julio Hernandez (1000-Penn National); Ruben Silvera (1000-Parx); Mychel Sanchez (1000-Parx); Tyler Connor (1000-Parx); Andrew Wolfsont (1000-Parx); and Mario Pino (7000-Presque Isle.
Drivers achieving milestones included Mike Wilder (9000-Meadows); Dave Palone (21,000-Meadows); Aaron Merriman (16,000-Meadows); Sam Beegle (1000-Bedford Fair); Ronnie Wrenn (8000-Meadows); and George Napolitano Jr. (12,000-Harrah’s Philadelphia.
In addition, congratulations are in order to Trainers John Servis (2000); Michael V. Pino (2000); Timothy Kreiser (2000); Ron Burke (15,000); Dan Altmeyer (1000); and Travis Alexander (1000) for achieving milestones with lifetime wins.
While Pocono Downs takes a break until February, Harness racing continues at the Meadows and Harrah’s Philadelphia through the end of the year. Parx and Penn National race through December, and Presque Isle returns in the spring.
by Evan Pattak, for the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association
**Evan Pattak – Meadows Standardbred Owners Association – Oct. 12, 2024
Cover Photo Credit to Parx Racing
