By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The Father Patrick gelding I’m Out, despite being the first to the top, still was able to later work out driver Tim Tetrick’s preferred second-over journey, winning in 1:55.3 over sloppy going in the $14,000 featured trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia Thursday.
 
There were six lead changes in the race, and I’m Out was the first and sixth leader. There were three successors to his leadership position before the half, and Tetrick came back out with the second choice on the backstretch, only to get cover from pocketpulling favorite Soar Higher. I’m Out rode the cover as the chalk gained a small advantage on the turn, tipped wide for the drive, then outfooted home the horse on his bumper, 35-1 shot Archimedes, with Soar Higher lasting for third. Scott Di Domenico trains the winner of two straight for Triple D Stables Inc and Joseph Faraldo, a winner in amateur driver action at Pocono this past Sunday.
 
In the $13,500 trotting event for horses just below the feature, the oncoming Muscle Hill gelding Hillookin went two seconds faster, taking a new mark with his 1:53.3 triumph. Trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer let his horse work his way to the lead as the field went under the wire the first time, then maintained control for the remaining circuit of the oval, with Modigliani S edging Herecomesdajudge for the deuce behind the winner, owned by Purple Haze Stables LLC.
 
The fast-class diamondgaiters contested an $11,000 event, in which the Trixton gelding Last Glow moved at the quarter to get the lead at the half; from there the favorite stayed in command as close second choice On Higher Ground grinded but could not reach the winner. Jack Parker Jr. drives and trains the 1:54.2 winner for owner Charles Groce II.
 
Fastest of all diagonalgaiters on the “Trottin’ Thursday” program was the veteran Eurobond, a son of Love You who made the lead at the quarter and held sway through the wire in 1:53.1 over the off going. Andrew McCarthy drove the winner of $797,135 for trainer Per Engblom and Morrison Racing Stables.
 
David Miller had four victories on the day to top the drivers colony. Todd McCarthy came home first three times, while brother Andrew McCarthy and Tim Tetrick both had a pair of successes. Tetrick’s two wins put the four-time defending Philly sulk champion on top of the 2025 standings.
 
The morning line has been announced for the three $100,000 Invitationals highlighting the Super Sunday card at Harrah’s Philadelphia in three days time – and neither defending champion entering was installed in the favorite’s role. Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh, in her first start of the year, was named second choice in the Betsy Ross Pace behind Aardie B Miki N, five-for-five in this country, all in the tough Matchmaker Series.
 
Two-time Joseph Auger Memorial Pace defending champion Ruthless Hanover drew post eight and is perhaps because of that rated as an outsider; the chalk is Mossdale Ben N, a “male Aardie B Miki N” in that he had four wins and two seconds in the Borgata Series, both at Yonkers; both won their finals.
 
Sir Pinocchio, who was the New York Sire Stakes champion and earned over $600,000 last year, was named a slight favorite for the Maxie Lee Memorial Trot. The three Invitationals will be joined by Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action, with two-year-old champion Louprint, two-for-two this year, the headliner among ten divisions of sophomores between the Sire Stakes and Stallion Series.
 
Free Philly program pages for Friday’s 12:25 card and Super Sunday’s 12:40 16-race presentation are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – This Sunday afternoon (May 25) Harrah’s Philadelphia will be proud to present as good a card of racing as has been seen in North America so far in 2025, with $661,766 in purses to be contested during the track’s annual marquee “Super Sunday” program, featuring 16 star-studded races beginning at 12:40 p.m.
 
Following is a brief overview of the three centerpiece $100,000 Invitational races for the most talented established performers in the sport, along with third preliminary round action of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes / Stallion Series racing for the “glamour division,” the three-year-old pacing males, and other top races on the talent-packed Super Sunday card:
 
$100,000 BETSY ROSS INVITATIONAL PACE for mares (race 13)
 
The five-year-old mare Twin B Joe Fresh, the 2024 Dan Patch award winner as Horse of the Year, will be making her2025 debut in the Betsy Ross, starting from post five in an eight-horse field for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder. Twin B Joe Fresh, a career double millionaire, is also the defending champion in the Betsy Ross, having covered the mile in a stakes record 1:48.2 in capturing last year’s event, as she has prepped sharply for this season with three winning qualifiers.
 
Starting just to the right of Twin B Joe Fresh is another Dan Patch Award winner from last year, My Girl EJ. This mare was last year’s three-year-old pacing filly Dan Patch Award winner, and Sunday she will step up to face more seasoned opposition for trainer Andrew Harris and driver Todd McCarthy. “EJ” already has a 1:50.2 winning qualifier this season, and last year as a sophomore she finished a good second to Twin B Joe Fresh in the season-ending Fan Duel pace for females.
 
$100,000 JOSEPH AUGER MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL PACE (race 12)


Ruthless Hanover became the fastest pacer ever over a 5/8-mile track when he toured the Philly oval in 1:46.3 while winning the 2023 Auger, then came back last year to take his second straight victory in the race, in 1:47.2. He has won two qualifiers locally in preparation for this, his seasonal debut, the faster of the two in 1:51. But the pacer, driven by George Napolitano Jr. (atop the Philly standings) for trainer Tom Cancelliere, will have to deal with the difficult outside post eight if he is to three-peat.
 
Besides the bad post, there is also the obstacle of Abuckabett Hanover, 2024 Dan Patch award winner for older pacing horses and the winner in his last two starts of that year, the Potomac and the Fan Duel, with Ruthless Hanover second both times. Like Twin B Joe Fresh, a lifetime double millionaire, Abuckabett Hanover will also be going to the gate for the first time in the current campaign, starting from post three for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Andrew Harris.
 
$100,000 MAXIE LEE MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL TROT (race 11)
 
The two trotters to beat on paper in the Lee have drawn post one and two, and both are Swedish imports. Innermost is Antognoni S, an eight-time winner already in 2025 and the Brennan Trotting Series Champion, coming off of a third as the favorite in the Cutler Trot after being hard-used to get the lead and set the pace. Antognoni S, named after a football (soccer) star in Italy, goes gateward for trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras.
 
Alongside him will be Aetos Kronos S, a recent arrival from Europe who has earned $.49 million and who started in last year’s prestigious Prix D’Amerique. Aetos Kronos S showed he fits in with the very best American trotters competing when he ripped off a 1:51.3 clocking at The Meadowlands in only his third start on these shores. Dexter Dunn will have the driving assignment for trainer Marcus Melander.
 
PENNSYLVANIA SIRE STAKES AND STALLION SERIES, three-year-old pacing males
 
$261,766 will be raced for by the best of the Keystone-sired sophomores, with three divisions of Sire Stakes and seven Stallion Series sections in the penultimate leg of the two programs’ preliminaries.
 
The Sire Stakes will go in races 5, 7, and 10, and the most attention will likely go to the latest of the three because it contains Louprint, Dan Patch award winner at two and the only double winner in the two Sire Stakes legs to date. Louprint has post three for driver Ron Wrenn Jr. and trainer Ron Burke. This tenth race will also be the opening leg of a Pick 4 wager with a $10,000 guaranteed pool, with the three Invitationals following right along behind rounding out the vertical wager.
 
Among the other promising horses in the Sire Stakes races Sunday are Go Go Grasshopper, Twisted Destiny, and Wedlock Blue Chip, each of whom has a Sire Stakes leg to his credit.
 
Among the Stallion Series races, Odds On Outlier was the only double winner in the first two StS prelims. He’s among the entrants in race 15, starting from post five for driver Peter Wrenn and trainer Melanie Wrenn.
 
THE OTHER HIGH-CLASS RACES on SUPER SUNDAY
 
There will be a $50,000 Invitational Pace, the #senditin, on race 8 of the card, and a $25,000 Open pace in race 14. An Open trot for $25,000 is slotted for race 3. Thus, all 16 races on the “Super Sunday card” will be Invitationals, Opens, or Sire Stakes/Stallion Series contests – quality from top to bottom.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Chapolier, a trotting gelding by Chapter Seven, continued a streak rarely seen in Standardbred racing – he won his eleventh race in a row, tops among all North American trotters and all of the wins at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, by taking the $16,000 claiming handicap trot feature in 1:53.3 Tuesday afternoon.
 
Chapolier has had an outer draw in most of his wins, now being entered for the track’s highest claiming price for trotters of $30,000, and he has devised several trips from which he could retain his streak. Tyler Buter took him through one of the harder ones – tuck early, then go first-over, but Chapolier went frontward after early numbers of :27.1 and :56, had reached the leader by the 1:24.3 three-quarters, then trotted right on by late on the turn and drew away easily – his 4 3/4 length margin was the biggest in the Streak Of Eleven.
 
And (almost) of course, Chapolier was claimed again – the ninth time he has gone to a new home during this streak, with $258,000 changing hands via the claiming box. Trainer Hunter Oakes and owner P T Stable thus have an empty stall – but they have done all right by the horse, being his sponsorship in four wins during the streak, earning $32,000 in purses with him, and picking up another $5000 as he elevated in price. One of the few players in the high-price claiming wars at Pocono not previously associated with Chapolier, Lou’s Auto, have the new ownership of the horse, who has made $86,000 during this string.
 
In the $15,000 claiming handicap trotting class just below the top one, the Explosive Matter mare Beach Dreamzzz won a three-way photo in 1:55.2. Beach Dreamzzz retucked in the pocket down the backstretch, came out in the stretch, then held off Lucky Sevens, who tailed her all the way, by a nose, with pacesetting Shinkansen just a head away from taking it all. Braxten Boyd drove the winner for trainer Tee Wine and Wine Stable.
 
Tyler Buter continued in his own raging form on Tuesday, with five visits to Victory Lane: three for Hunter Oakes and two for Travis Alexander. Well ahead in the local standings, Buter has posted 41 victories in the twelve days of May racing at Pocono – so far.
 
Pocono is currently racing on a schedule of Saturday – Monday – Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m. The highlight of the coming week’s racing is Monday’s Pennsylvania All-Stars event for three-year-old trotting fillies. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Captaintreacherous sophomore filly Jordanna Hanover again kicked home strongly to win her second straight race, here lowering her mark by a tick to 1:53 in taking the $16,000 distaff pacing feature Monday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
 
Patrick Ryder had Jordanna Hanover on the back of the first-over Selina’s Choice, who went up after favored pacesetter Big City Daisy, who made two moves in fractions of :27.3, :56.1, and 1:24.4. Selina’s Choice corralled the favorite, but Ryder still had a fresh horse in front of him turning for home, and the pair won by 2½ lengths over the first-over horse, with second choice Shangri La Hanover, caught behind the tiring pacesetter, salvaging the show. Tom Fanning trains the developing filly for Fanning Racing LLC, which consists of him and his wife Moira.
 
The Tactical Landing gelding four-year-old Reggianito turned some heads when he won by a country mile in one of two $15,000 co-featured trots while posting a new mark of 1:53.4. Reggianito moved out behind cover down the backstretch, looped that horse and soon circled to grab the lead, then stormed home in :27.3. Tyler Buter drove the Ohio invader for trainer John Butenschoen and Berg Brothers Racing LLC.
 
In the other co-featured trot, second choice Wapiti Blue Chip followed the cover of favored One More Volo the last half, then had the most late to catch that rival by three-quarters of a length in 1:55. Braxten Boyd drove the three-year-old altered son of International Moni, who won his first race in three seasonal starts, for trainer Mahlon Martin and the ownership of Ashley Burslem, Steven Muller, and Gregory Garton.
 
Tyler Buter and Anthony Napolitano shared the day’s driving honors with three victories apiece. Buter, the track’s leading driver, now has 36 wins in the 11 days of May racing at the northeast Pennsylvania oval.
 
The racing week concludes on Tuesday, with first post at 1 p.m. The featured performer will be Chapolier, the winningest trotter in North America this season, as he goes for his eleventh straight victory, all of them this year at the mountain oval, in the $16,000 tenth race feature (and Buter is listed to drive). Stakes action will return to Pocono next Monday with Pennsylvania All-Stars competition for three-year-old trotting fillies. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.pha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Three-year-old trotting males continued on the path towards New Jersey on the first Saturday in August as they contested three $30,000 divisions of a Pennsylvania All-Stars event on Sunday evening at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
 
The fastest winner, the Greenshoe gelding Lefties Righties, took a lifetime mark of 1:53.3. He had speed early in the mile, taking the lead before the :28.1 quarter, then sat in the pocket as Hey Porter carried on to the top and posted midsplits of :57 and 1:25.1, with favored Meshuggah moving uncovered from fourth late in the backstretch. Hey Porter carried the field into the stretch but immediately came under pressure to both sides, and a quick burst in the Pocono Pike from Lefties Righties propelled him to a neck  decision over the steady grind of the chalk, with Hey Porter third. Braxten Boyd had the drive for trainer Jenny Melander and the partnership of Chuck Sylvester, Charles Stansley, Lenavitt Investments LLC and John Licausi.
 
Favored Frank Leahy moved from the pocket after a :28 first panel, made the lead, retained it through fractions of :57.2 and 1:25.4, then finished powerfully to reduce his speed badge to 1:54. The Southwind Frank colt left the opposition five lengths behind while driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ron Burke, a six-time winner here on the Saturday card and in possession of almost double the wins of his nearest local rival, and owners Ben Mondello LLC and FAC Racing LLC.
 
Give Me A Yankee was far back early off fractions of :28.3, :58.2, and 1:26.1, but he wound up in an excellent cover flow for driver Simon Allard and got past favored Green Mel for a 2¼ length score while reducing his mark to 1:55. Give Me A Yankee has had trotting hopples in his last four starts, with two wins and two breaks – but this win suggests he is coming around nicely (his own last half in :55.3) for trainer Mark Akins and A 1 Racing, which consist of Akins and Allard.
 
In the $16,500 overnight feature for the top-priced claiming handicap pacers, the So Surreal gelding Real Surreal certainly had a difficult trip early and then had to rally against tough horses, but he won his third race in his last four starts with a 1:51.3 mile. The hard-hitter won at first asking for owner Sam Dalia, who claimed the horse for $35,000 last week.
 
The win was also one of three winning pairings on the night for the track’s leading driver, Tyler Buter, and trainer Hunter Oakes.  Oakes also trains Lunar, who set the 2025 standard at Philly, 1:48.4, earlier in the day, while Buter, who had five wins overall on the card, now has 33 victories during ten days of May racing at the mountain oval.
 
Racing continues at The Downs on Monday and Tuesday at 1 p.m.; on Tuesday’s card Chapolier, the winningest trotter in North America, will try for his eleventh straight win, all at Pocono this season (and racing Tuesday for driver Buter and trainer Oakes in his fourth stint in the barn). Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The Sweet Lou gelding Lunar, enjoying a rich vein of form since joining up with trainer Hunter Oakes and owner Carmen Iannacone via claim at the end of March, paced the fastest mile of the season at Harrah’s Philadelphia, 1:48.4, in winning the $13,000 featured fast-class event at the riverside oval.
 
Jack Pelling was able to reserve his horse midpack as Hunting Zone was hard-used to get the lead in a :26.3 opener. Lunar stayed against the pylons as no outer tier formed as the pacesetter hit the half in a demanding :54.2, then moved uncovered late in the backstretch towards the 1:21 three-quarters. Lunar went right up to challenge the leader and went right by early in the lane, winning by 2½ lengths over the closing odds-on favorite Hellabalou, with Dublin Dasher also moving well late for third, followed by Hunting Zone. The 1:48.4 clocking equaled Lunar’s lifetime best.
 
A $12,000 pace for younger, developing males provided the setting for the Bettor’s Wish sophomore gelding Odds On Wildfire to take his second straight victory, here in 1:52.2 for driver-trainer-owner Geovany Hernandez. The three-year-old made the top just past the ¼, backed off the half then increased the speed down the backstretch and around the far turn while looking in control. “Wildfire” then drifted a bit in both mind and body with just more than an eighth left, but provisional driver Hernandez (only driving since September but already with 27 wins and a 17% strike rate) got the pacer straightened away, and the pair won safely.
 
In the $11,000 handicap for top-priced claiming pacers, the Heston Blue Chip gelding Hello Gorgeous was able to ride in the pocket behind a fast pace, then moved out on the final turn, sweeping by handily to win in 1:51.4 for his second straight victory. David Miller drove the Izzy Estrada trainee, who is owned by Estrada Racing LLC.
 
The pairing of Miller and Estrada matched together the two horsemen who won three races on the program. Miller got his wins for three different trainers, while Estrada’s trio each won for a different sulkysitter.
 
The draw for the “Super Sunday” card next Sunday (May 25) will be held this coming Wednesday; a release about the big program should be sent out later in the day. Philly continues on its standard schedule of Thursday and Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Standardbred sport’s “glamour division” of three-year-old pacing males came to Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon, with over $260,000 in stakes action among Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series competition.
 
Last year’s Dan Patch Award winner at two, Louprint, now has two Sires victories in two seasonal starts after winning in 1:50.2. Driver Ron Wrenn Jr. sent him right to the lead and put up relatively soft fractions of :27.3, :56.2, and 1:24.1 for this caliber of horse, but Twisted Destiny, winner of six straight over two years and faster winning his first PaSS start than Louprint, was looming right on his back and then went to the Pocono Pike. But such was the measure of confidence Wrenn had in his horse and ability that he never looked to his left at the challenger, even as he gained fractionally into a :26.1 kicker; Twisted Destiny came up a half length shy.
 
The victorious son of Sweet Lou, now a winner of $778,460, is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Phil Collura, and Lawrence Karr. (You’ll be reading more about many of those names later in this story.)
 
The fastest Sires split, 1:49.3, was captured by the Captaintreacherous colt Prince Hal Hanover, third in the Sires in his seasonal bow. Here the sophomore hit the top after a :27.1 quarter and went on to stop the timer at intervals of :55.2 and 1:22.4 en route to a 2¾ length win. David Miller was driving for trainer Dr. Ian Moore and Prince Hal Hanover Stable as the “Prince” lowered his speed mark
 
The Bettor’s Wish colt Wedlock Blue Chip posted a mild 5-1 upset in the other Sires division, coming out late on the backstretch and gaining momentum after splits of :27, :56.1, and 1:23.1, stopping the clock in a lifetime best-equaling 1:51.3 a half length ahead of 2024 PA Sires champion Papi’s Rocket. David Miller and Polie Mallar were the trainer/driver team behind Wedlock Blue Chip for owners Richard Cortese and Donald Hawk.
 
To gain admittance to the Stallion Series winners circle, you needed one of two credentials: you had to be a son of Sweet Lou – there were four of them – or Papi Rob Hanover – he racked up a triple.
 
Lou’s Albano, a son of Sweet Lou, was the “bomber” of the afternoon at $64.60, and he also posted the fastest StS clocking, taking a mark of 1:50.3 for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Ron Burke. Two other victorious Sweet Lous were driven by the nephew-uncle combination of Ron Wrenn Jr. and Peter Wrenn: the former getting a new mark of 1:50.4 on Compensate Me for the Burke Brigade, and the latter visiting the Pocono winners circle for the first time since June 8, 1996 (you could look it up) after Odds On Outlier, trained by Melanie Wrenn, won in 1:51.4. The fourth Sweet Lou was the Tim Tetrick-driven Waffle Blue Chip for trainer Brett Pelling in a lifetime best 1:51.2.
 
Pelling came back to add two more Stallion Series wins with sons of Papi Rob Hanover: with I’m The One, also driven by Tetrick and  triumphing in 1:52, and with Beach Club Monty, whom Scott Zeron guided to a 1:51 success. Completing the “Papi Rob” triumphant trio was Makers Sense, clocked in 1:52, with Andrew McCarthy driving for trainer Robert Cleary.
 
And we’ll quickly mention the four non-stakes horses who either lowered or tied the 2025 Pocono standard for the respective gaits.
 
Charlie May and Mac’s Delight both had paced here in 1:49.1, but that number was left in the stonedust, finally resting at 1:47.4 after Southwind Gendry won wire-to-wire for driver Tyler Buter and trainer Ron Burke – the leaders in their respective categories at Pocono this year. That clocking also missed Bigtime Hero’s 11-year-old record for older pacing geldings by just a fifth.
 
The old seasonal mark had first been lowered to 1:48.3 by Ken Hanover, for Team Miller / Mallar, who later won a Sire Stake, and that number was then reduced a tick by Desperate Man, driven by the three-time defending Pocono champion Matt Kakaley for trainer Travis Alexander.
 
And not forgetting the trotters: Altus Hanover’s 1:52.3 fastest time on the trot was matched by All Wrapped Up, driven by George Napolitano Jr. for trainer Joe Bongiorno.
 
To summarize the horsemen who had more than one winner on the day: Ron Burke trained six (all of which are part-owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and five of which are part-owned by Weaver Bruscemi LLC). David Miller won three races including two Sire Stakes, and Tyler Buter, who had zero wins through the first thirteen races, took home the last three. Among trainers, Brett Pelling conditioned three Stallion Series winners. Doubles were produced by drivers Tim Tetrick and Ron Wrenn Jr. and by trainer Roland “Polie” Mallar.
 
Sunday racing is back on the Pocono schedule, with first post at 6 p.m.; featured on that card will be three $30,000 divisions of the Pennsylvania All-Stars series for three-year-old trotting colts, with recent Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner The Fix Is In being joined by three Stallion Series winners. There will also be a $2069.09 carryover into the last race High 5 pool. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The racing card at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon had to be delayed by a half-hour as a fierce storm passed though southeast Pennsylvania and the surface required work to restore it to safe racing shape.
 
Two and a quarter hours later, with the track just having been upgraded from “sloppy” to “good,” the three-year-old Always B Miki filly Found made her seasonal debut, and she posted the fastest mile of the year at Philly, 1:49.2, in winning the $12,000 feature for distaff pacers.
 
Jack Pelling got the 2025 debutante a dream trip in the three-hole as Shes A Streaker, heavy favorite after an easy win in this class last week, cut all the pace, with Verity Blue Chip, second last week, riding in the two-hole. Shes A Streaker went sensational fractions of :27.1, :55, and 1:21.4 in the off going, but her nearest rivals stayed attached right behind her through past the midpoint of the far turn.
 
At that point, Verity Blue Chip vacated the pocket, giving a free shot up the inside to Found. Verity Blue Chip did indeed pass the tired pacesetter, but Found found a little more than the pocket horse, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of her while producing the fantastic clocking for trainer Brett Pelling and Diamond Creek Racing.
 
Found won her third straight race, having taken a pair of Wildcat Series races to end her freshman campaign, but students of pedigree may have found a better reason to be tempted by the 20-1 odds offered Friday on Found: her dam is Geothermic, who, after being bred to Sweet Lou, produced the 2023 Harness Horse of the Year Confederate.  Found thus must be rated a “ceiling unknown” type right now.
 
In the $11,000 co-featured handicap pace for the fast-class distaffs, the Powerful Mist mare Misty Coast made two speed moves to control the pace for driver Corey Callahan, then stayed safely in front through the lane while posting a final clocking of 1:51.4 over the “good” going. Les Givens conditions the winner of $461,567 for owner Stephen Messick.
 
The current racing week closes on Sunday with a 12:40 starting time, with feature events for all top-level pacing classifications, and carryover into the Pick 5 beginning in race five. A week from this Sunday (May 25) is of course “SUPER SUNDAY” at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with three $100,000 Invitationals and the Pennsylvania-sired three-year-old pacing males coming to town. That card will be drawn Wednesday, and a summary release of the big day will follow along thereafter.
 
Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The Walner gelding Chef Rocco posted a 11-1 upset in the $14,000 featured conditioned trot at Harrah’s Philadelphia on “Trottin’ Thursday” afternoon, winning in 1:53.3 after heavy favorite Secret Agent Man, coming off a 1:51.1 qualifier here at Philly in readying for his seasonal debut, fell victim to his breaking bugaboo, going offstride on the lead on the far turn.
 
The five outer horses wanted a part of the early action after the inside trio did not get away well. Chef Rocco was first to the lead, putting Im An Andover in behind him, then eventually yielding to Blockchain, who disdained a tuck and pressed on to command after a :27.4 opener. Secret Agent Man, starting from the outside post eight, also declined a pylon spot and went up to challenge Blockchain, clearing him for the top going towards a :55.3 half.
 
Late in the backstretch Secret Agent Man opened a clear advantage to a 1:23.4 three-quarters, with Blockbuster not keeping the pocket tight and the outer tiers ineffectual. But a little more than an eighth of a mile out, the favorite lost his composure, and with the pocket horse both not strong and moving a path outside to avoid any trouble from the breaker, Chef Rocco able to move right through and trot to the fore, winning by 1¼ lengths. Im An Andover, at 95-1, came up inside of him to finish second, with Soar Higher, one of the inside-drawing horses not getting away well, even further down in the passing lane and along for third.
 
Todd McCarthy masterminded the upset for trainer-driver Mark Akins.
 
The Father Patrick mare Prominence was ready for and flat in her seasonal debut, winning the $13,000 co-featured trot in 1:54.1 for the ownership of Pinske Stables, Melvin Hartman, and Little E LLC. Trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt pulled the mare uncovered from the second half of the field not too long after Herecomesdajudge, wide early, took the point in :29, then grinded up with his mare as the leader posted midsplits of :57.2 and 1:25.3. Herecomesdajudge was still in command into the stretch, but Svanstedt had a good sense of what he had in front of him and Prominence was able to record a length victory.
 
Racing at Harrah’s Philadelphia will continue on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40, with the track already at work for one of its biggest days of the year: “Super Sunday,” coming a week from Sunday on the 25th. Three $100,000 Invitationals for the elite older performers will be matched with Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for three-year-old pacing males on what is traditionally one of the best days of the Standardbred year in the state. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org. 

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 

WILKES-BARRE PA – The Chapter Seven gelding Chapolier continues to be the winningest trotter in North America this year, posting his tenth win in an undefeated 2025 at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania while taking the $16,000 featured handicap trot in 1:53.1, a new mark achieved over “good” going.
 
Chapolier, entered for the top $30,000 pricetag and thus getting the outside post eight, was in a familiar spot early – very wide entering the first turn as many foes yet again tried to establish position with the advantage of an inner start on him. Chapolier fell in behind cover for most of the first turn, then went on uncovered past the :27.1 quarter to get to the top, which he achieved for driver George Napolitano Jr., paying the price of a :55.1 half.
 
The fractions continued faster than usual as Chapolier went to the three-quarters in 1:23.4, but when several well-placed opponents took their best shot in the lane, Chapolier was ready – if anything, he slightly widened his margin from midstretch on.
 
An earner of $78,000 in his ten races at Pocono, Chapolier cannot be mentioned without telling of his record changing barns. This week he was with trainer Brandon Presto and owner Rocco Stebbins for a second time in The Streak, and again he had only a seven-day stay with that management, as he was taken for the $30,000 tag by P T Stable – the fourth time they have claimed the horse.
 
George Santayana is credited with saying “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” and there were amazing parallels between young trotter Ake Palema on Tuesday and young trotter Jamais Vu, who raced at Pocono two days previously. Both are Walner sophomore colts from the barn of Lucas Wallin who qualified evenly for a “Q” driver in their first line of the year, then picked up three-time Pocono defending driving leader Matt Kakaley and entered a maiden event for international ownership.
 
Jamais Vu won on Sunday in 1:53.4; Tuesday Ake Palema won in 1:53.4 (over “good” going, no less) for an even more far-flung group of owners: Wallin Racing Stable Inc. (NJ), Harbor Racing Stable LLC (Ontario), Karin Walter-Mommert (Germany), and Glenn Holland (Australia).
 
By the way, the Pocono bettors learned: Jamais Vu was the second choice, whereas Ake Palema was sent off as the crowd’s favorite.
 
The win with Ake Palema was one of three on the card for Kakaley, giving him top honors for the card.
 
The Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series make their 2025 debuts at Pocono on Saturday’s 1 p.m. card, with over $260,000 to be contested. The highlight should be a Sire Stakes showdown between Louprint, Dan Patch Award winner for this division last year, against Twisted Destiny, winner of six straight and a faster winner in the first PaSS prelim (1:49.1 vs. 1:49.3). Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.