By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – The well-traveled Ritson, having already gone from Woodbine to Pocono to Rideau Carleton since the first of May, came to Harrah’s Philadelphia Thursday afternoon and overhauled the entire field in the stretch to take the $13,000 featured trot in 1:53.3. Tim Tetrick, top horseman on the day with four wins, got away last from the outside post six with the winning son of Cantab Hall, and they had the best view much of the way while College Tuition set fractions of 26.4, :56.2, and 1:24.4. Ritson followed the cover of second-over Toccoa Falls three-wide on the far turn and then went wider for the drive, with his late kick getting him home just a nose ahead of Toccoa Falls; favored Yanks Dugout had to settle for third from the pocket, with College Tuition fourth. Ritson boosted his career earnings to $260,446 with the strong-closing score. He is trained by Mark Steacy, who co-owns him with Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc., Dale Larson, and Stephen Downey. There were a pair of subfeatures for the fast-class set on the “Trottin’ Thursday” card. A contest going for $11,000 saw the Lucky Chucky gelding Lucky Weekend sit inside until early stretch, then find room to angle wide and just catch grinder Rivers in 1:54.3 for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer George Lange, and owner Scott Brockwell. In the $10,000 class, the Trixton gelding No Drama Please got up the inside to catch pacesetting favorite Helpoftheseason in 1:55 for driver David Miller, trainer Tom Fanning, and owner Joseph Smith. Two-year-old pacers got their turn in the spotlight, contesting $11,250 events for each sex. The division for males produced a $60.60 upset by the Bettor’s Wish – Heavenly Bride colt Wedlock Blue Chip, who didn’t look like a pari-mutuel debutant on the racetrack, taking the lead early and then storming home in :55.4 - :27 to complete a 1:55.1 victory, 1½ lengths to the good of favored TH Colby. Troy Beyer drove the impressive colt for trainer Polie Mallar of Ken Hanover fame and owners Richard Cortese and Donald Hawk. The female freshmen were headed by Lyonsanitasangel, who made a fast dash just past the half for the lead while coming her own last half in :55.4 to complete a 1:55.1 victory in her first purse start. Corey Callahan had the lines behind the daughter of Captaintreacherous – Linda Lace Hanover for trainer Jim King Jr. and Threelyonsracing. Racing continues at Philly Friday at 12:25; there will be a carryover of $1954.17 on the Pick-4 wager beginning with the first race. On Sunday’s 12:40 card, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action for sophomore pacing fillies will be featured, with the headline division finding My Girl EJ and Geocentric again squaring off in what has been a fierce rivalry last season into this one. Free Philly programs are or will be available at www.phha.org. By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
PROSPECT PA – The 2024 Pennsylvania fair racing season started with a bang at the Big Butler Fair in this borough in the westcentral part of the state, as the all-age records for both the trot and the pace were broken in consecutive races, and then the newly-minted trot mark was tied just over an hour later. All of the recordsetting action took place on Wednesday, the day reserved for Pennsylvania Fair Sire Stakes for three-year-olds, with the two-year-olds having seen their initial fair action the day before. The first horse to make an alteration in the Butler annals was Internationalcraze, an International Moni gelding who toured the fairgrounds half-miler in 2:00, beating the all-age 2:01.1 former mark set in 2021 by a pair of sophomores, the male Killer Instinct and the female Who Made Who. Already a 1:54.2 winner at Pocono this year, Internationalcraze is trained and driven by Todd Schadel, who is co-owner with his wife Christine and Rick and Regina Beinhauer. Officially 64 minutes after Internationalcraze’s win, the 2021 pattern of a male and a female both trotting Butler’s fastest time was duplicated by Loveyoubunches with a 2:00 time. A daughter of Fordham Road, who had toured Pocono 1:55.2 earlier this year,. Loveyoubunches has exactly the same Schadels-Beinhauers sponsorship as does Internationalcraze – quite an afternoon for that group. In the race immediately after Internationalcraze’s win, the If I Can Dream pacing gelding Dry Ridge Erie, having hit the board in eight of his last nine starts without winning, made a breakthrough in the biggest way, recording a victory in 1:59, a time which reduced the all-age pacing mark, set by the filly Four Wide N’ Flyin last year, by a tick, while shaving two-fifths off the record for males also set last year, by Louie Hanover. Shawn Johnston guided Butler’s fastest-ever horse for trainer Gary Johnston and owner Randy Ringer. A fourth 2:00 mile – giving one in each category of sophomores – was turned in by the Betting Line Showboat Hanover, winning in exactly 2:00 for trainer/driver Schadel, co-owner with Christine Schadel and Caitlin Solt. And after yielding good weather for all those records, the skies opened up, raining out the last two Wednesday races. During Tuesday’s action for two-year-olds, the very first race of the 2024 season yielded Butler’s fastest freshman clocking, from the Papi Rob Hanover – Well What’s New gelding Wheelhouse Hanover, who won in 2:03 for Todd Schadel, driver/trainer and co-owner with his son Cody. Freshman trotting honors were landed by the Father Patrick – Munster gelding Munster Mash Trick, driven to a 2:05 win by Brady Brown for trainer Steve Schoeffel and the partnership of Kathy Schoeffel, Stephen Lander, Fred Dowling, and Maximus Melik. From the above, it would not be hard to guess that Todd Schadel had taken the early lead among fair drivers and trainers, at Butler landing seven in each category; also off to good fair starts with three wins each were driver Aaron Johnston and trainer Steve Schoeffel. And mention must be made of driver Chris Shaw, who was involved in a horrible racing accident in 2021 and did not drive in 2022 or 2023 while recuperating. He has been making a gradual comeback at The Meadows this year, and at Butler he brought home two winners – the first at Pennsylvania fairs for the former 100-wins-in-a-fair season driver since August 21, 2020 at Meyersdale. The fair action now shifts to Stoneboro for a two-day meet on Saturday and Sunday, with a first post of 3 p.m. each day. By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Huntsville gelding Thunder Hunter Joe got a change in scenery in the Tuesday afternoon feature at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, as the usually-late-charging four-year-old went wire-to-wire in 1:49.4 in taking the $17,000 featured pace. A first quarter of :26 did not faze “Joe,” as he continued on to splits of :55.1 and 1:22.2 and won by a comfortable three lengths to raise his earnings to $399,970 for David Hamm, Glenn Phillips, and Christopher Giaccio. Thunder Hunter Joe’s driver, Braxten Boyd, led all Pocono horsemen Tuesday with four winners, and his trainer Nicholas Devita was the only conditioner to double, both winners handled by Boyd. There were a pair of $15,000 contests for developing horses in the co-feature slots. On the pace, the Tellitlikeitis gelding Lovers Trouble recorded his second straight victory, here setting most of the pace and coming home in :55.3 to stop the timer in 1:52.1 for driver Ridge Warren, trainer Jenn Bongiorno, and owners JB Racing and Evans Nation. On the trot, driver Mattias Melander gradually worked the Greenshoe colt Luke The Spook up from midpack, proving to have the most late kick in 1:56 for trainer/brother Marcus Melander and AM Bloodstock Inc. Pocono racing resumes on Saturday at 1 p.m.; featured will be a $25,000 Open pace with a field of six possessing an average lifetime mark of 1:48.2, and the 2024 Pocono standard of 1:49.1 could well fall given good weather. Sunday’s 6 p.m. card features the first stakes action of 2024 for two-year-olds, three $30,000 divisions of the Pennsylvania All-Stars colt trot. Free Pocono programs will be available at www.phha.org. By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Donato Hanover gelding Donato Patriot K thundered home in :27.3 to complete a 1:55 victory in the $11,000 fast-class trot Monday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Matt Kakaley reserved the winner of $211,908 in third much of the mile, then unleashed him uncovered at the three-quarters, and the powerful trotter made the lead by headstretch. Donato Patriot K won by five lengths for trainer Jenn Bongiorno and the ownership of the Ely Stable. Kakaley drove five of the last seven winners on the Monday program, and his quintuple solidified his lead atop the local standings as he seeks his third straight dashwinning title at The Downs. The racing week ends Tuesday with a $17,000 pacing feature, for developing horses who are aiming to join higher levels of competition. Free Pocono programs are available at www.phha.org. By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – It was the “George And Dean Show” on Sunday evening at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, with the track’s all-time leading driver George Napolitano Jr. visiting the winners circle five times, four times with horses trained by Dean Eckley, including in both $16,500 featured paces. The faster of the high-priced featured claimers was Shoobie Doo A, taking revenge on A Fair Ol Dance’s ending of his three-race win streak last week by defeating that rival in 1:49.1, a clocking that equaled the 2024 local seasonal standard of Da Delightful and Big Skewy N and also gave the horse a lifetime best. Shoobie Doo A had to go a :26 quarter to clear his archrival for the lead, then put up middle fractions of :54.1 and 1:21.2. A Fair Ol Dance got a fair chance at his opponent in the lane but came up a half length shy of the altered son of Shoobee’s Place, claimed for $40,000 out of his last start by owner William Hartt but not again switching barns after this win. Changing hands for $33,000 after his victory, though, will be the other Napolitano/Eckley feature winner, Winbak Willy T. The son of Art Major, owned by Kathleen Napolitano for this event, refused to let anyone get by him through monstrous fractions of :26, :53.2, and 1:21.3, then pulled away to win by 2½ lengths, lowering his record to 1:50.2 at age ten. Napolitano, who has had sixteen wins in the last four cards he has been part of (five and four at Philly on Thursday and Friday, respectively, then two here yesterday before tonight’s five-bagger), moved closer in second to meet leader Matt Kakaley. Eckley, also already second in his standings, narrowed Jeff Cullipher’s lead with his quadruple. In a $14,000 race for two-year-old trotting males, another hot pairing as of late, driver Jim Marohn Jr. and trainer / owner D. R. Ackerman, clicked again with the Bar Hopping – Ginger Tree Bren gelding Gimlet Hanover, who moved outside before the far turn and stepped his own last fraction in :28 to win his pari-mutuel debut in 1:58. Pocono will be racing Monday and Tuesday cards, both starting at 1 p.m. Free Pocono programs are available at www.phha.org. By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – Grand Cayman proved able to surmount a difficult first-over trip in winning Sunday’s $15,000 fast-class handicap pacing feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 1:50.3. Congressional left sharply to put the field in position order before the :26.4 quarter; Nicholas Beach then came brushing to get the lead and rated a breather to the :56 half. Entering the backstretch, driver Corey Callahan moved the victorious Always B Miki gelding uncovered from fourth with high velocity, with favored Maximus Miki right behind him through and past a 1:23.1 third quarter. Early in the lane Grand Cayman took command, and the chalk’s late move could put him no closer than three-quarters of a length at the wire in second. Grand Cayman, a winner of $409,524 who covered his own back half in :53.2, is trained by Crissy Crissman-Bier for owner Vincent Ferriero Jr. In the $11,000 fast-class pace subfeature, Santana Hanover sat a two-hole journey behind favored Sport Secret, then rallied to nip the chalk by half a length in 1:50.3. The Big Jim gelding, now a winner of $244,455, was driven by Simon Allard for trainer Jenn Bongiorno and owners JB Racing, J R Ryan, and Collin Ryan. There were a pair of $12,000 contests for developing horses. The trot went to Go For Gaagaa No, a daughter of (naturally) Googoo Gaagaa who was a good 1:55.4 winner for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Per Engblom, and owner Eric Good; on the pace, the Sweet Lou sophomore gelding Solid Character fronted his field throughout, coming home in :56.1 to complete a 1:54.2 victory for driver David Miller, trainer Ron Burke, and Burke Racing Stable LLC, Robert Jackson, Timothy Sullivan, and Tom Wilson. A pacing event in the American Harness Drivers Club, the series for amateurs, saw the biggest win price of the year at Philly, as Wilsons Vinner came to the inside of favored Major Hanover and was along in 1:55.1 for driver / trainer/ owner Ray Burt while paying $140.00 for a $2 win ticket. Doublers on the day were drivers Todd McCarthy, David Miller, and Tim Tetrick along with trainer Crissy Crissman-Bier. Philly is currently racing three days a week, with Thursday and Friday racing at 12:25 and Sunday racing at 12:40. Free Philly programs are available at www.phha.org. By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – On Saturday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, a brief but intense downpour came in the middle of the second preliminary round action of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series for three-year-old pacing fillies, but the quality of the top misses still shone through. No filly turned in a brighter performance – or a faster time -- than My Girl EJ, a daughter of Sweet Lou and the Breeders Crown winner last year, who won her Sires division with an exceptional 1:49.2 performance with the track rated “sloppy +1.” Dexter Dunn sent the winner of $781,094 wide early then took a tuck fourth while Caviart Belle moved past a :26.4 quarter to the lead and registered midrace fractions of :54.4 and 1:21.4 with Dunn and “EJ” beginning to advance uncovered towards the last-named sation. Caviart Belle held well, but My Girl EJ was just too tough late, coming her last quarter in :26.4 to win by three parts of a length over the pacesetter for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Elizabeth Novak, and Mitchell Friesen. The other divisions of the $149,423 Sire Stake both went in 1:50.3, and both winners got new marks. Sweet Lou got a second Sire Stakes siring credit when Asweetbeachhere sat in the two-hole behind fractions of :26.4, :55.4, and 1:23.1 (track still fast), then came up the Pocono Pike and just nipped first-over Flawless by a nose, with pacesetter Dandy’s Mercy just a half-length further back in third. David Miller drove the filly for trainer Andrew Harris, the latter also co-owner with William Pollock and Bruce Areman. The surface had rebounded to “good +1” by the time the Captaintreacherous filly Rocket Deo remained undefeated in four 2024 races while also becoming the only double Sire Stakes winner in this grouping. Rocket Deo was last in the field of five through early times of :26.4 and :55.3, then paced her third quarter in 26.4 uncovered to reach contention by the 1:23.1 three-quarters. From there the game sophomore went on to take stretch command then hold off the onrushing Miki In Luv by a head for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Brett Pelling, and the combine of Morrison Racing Stables and John Fielding. Parkavenuelisa and Davenport both doubled up in their Stallion Series races, both winning in 1:52.2. The Heston Blue Chip miss Parkavenuelisa overcame a 36-day layoff to be a safe winner for driver David Miller, trainer Linda Toscano, and Bay Pond Racing Stable and Let It Ride Stables Inc. The rainstorm came down during Davenport’s race , making the track “sloppy +2” for her mile, but the Captain Crunch filly was unfazed in tallying for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Brett Pelling, and Diamond Creek Racing. Fastest in the StS was the Stay Hungry filly Lyons Legend, digging in late to hit the wire first in 1:50.3 for driver Tim Tetrick , trainer Jim King Jr., and Threelyonsracing. And the only Stallion Series winner to take a new mark was another daughter of Stay Hungry, Chapanecas, who won a three-way late duel in 1:51.3 for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Noel Daley, and owner W. J. Donovan. Deserving of a mention among the stakes fillies is the Papi Rob Hanover – Dagnabit Hanover freshman gelding Dreamboat Hanover, who stretched a 1¼ length lead at the half to a twelve length crushing at the finish in 1:52.2. Dreamboat Hanover had gone 1:54.2 in his only qualifying line, and obviously hopes are high for the Team Schadel pupil, whom Todd drives, his son Cody trains, and Todd co-owns with his wife Christine, Timothy Hayes, and Dr. Megan Moschgat. No horseman had more the two winners on the card, but there were eight doublers, including many stakes winners: Matt Kakaley, Andrew McCarthy, David Miller, and George Napolitano Jr. among the drivers, and Jenn Bongiorno, Ron Burke, Jeff Cullipher, and Brett Pelling on the training side. Racing continues on Sunday at 6 p.m., with 1 p.mn. cards slated for Monday and Tuesday. Free Pocono programs are available at www.phha.org. By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – Beginning to harken back to her recordsetting form of 2023, the Heston Blue Chip filly Odds On Hail Mary paced to her second victory in a row Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, capturing the featured $13,000 distaff handicap in 1:50.4. Andrew McCarthy was on the move near the :27.3 opening station with his odds-on favorite, and “Mary” continued right to the lead, setting midsplits of :55.1 and 1:22.3. The winner in her PA Sire Stakes Championship last year in a divisional record 1:48.2 maintained her lead to the wire, winning by 1¾ lengths over Lou’s Lucky Girl, who in turn was second in a photo over Taking The Miki A, making her Stateside debut and flashing a late burst that marked her as a horse to watch. Odds On Hail Mary has now earned $320,073. She is trained by Hall Of Famer Linda Toscano for Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Odds On Racing. The distaff pacing subfeature, offering a bounty of $12,000, was captured by the Rockin Image filly On The Watersedge, who is now two-for-four at the riverside oval after coming in from Freehold. A strong first-over move carried On The Watersedge to a 1:53.2 victory over pocketsitter Showboat Hanover and pacesetter Bares All for driver Simon Allard, trainer Richard Bilach and owner Ms. Dawn Ghiraldi. In a pair of $11,250 contests for two-year-olds, the Stay Hungry – Rockingham Park pacing filly Gingertree Brenasu and the Greenshoe – Fashion Athena trotting gelding Fashion Green won their betting bows. Gingertree Brenasu made the early lead despite the outside post six and held off the pocketsitting favorite Stevie Hanover by a neck in 1:54.2 for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Steven Cook, and the partnership of Sam Beegle, Ginger Tree Ventures LLC, Knollview Stable, and Bob Reber Jr. Conversely, Fashion Green secured a two-hole trip behind frontstepper Set The Bar, then outstepped that one home by 1½ lengths in 1:59 for Hall Of Fame driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim Campbell (whose own Hall induction is in a couple of weeks), and Fashion Farms LLC. George Napolitano Jr. won four races on the Friday card; like the previous day, when he won five times, all of his victories came before the halfway point of the program. Simon Allard won three of the last four races on the card to be tied at three victories with Andrew McCarthy, who among his wins were the second halves of both the Early and Late Doubles. On Sunday’s 12:40 p.m. card at Philly, there is a crackerjack $15,000 fast-class pace, where the average mark of the field of six is 1:48.3; Maximus Miki is the early favorite. Free Philly programs are available at www.phha.org. |
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