By: Jerry Connors,  Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Driver David Miller swept the three divisions of the $180,855 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes fourth and final preliminary round for two-year-old pacing colts at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon. Now he will have to make a choice about whom to drive in the division’s Championship here at Philly on Sunday, September 8 – especially since one of his winners is not assured of a spot in the Championship.

The fastest of the three winners was a maiden, the Somebeachsomewhere – Panera Hanover colt Papi Rob Hanover, who scored in 1:50.4 to miss the 2009 Philly divisional track record of Rock N Rock Heaven by a fifth while also tying the filly Sweet Ace for fastest freshman of the year on a 5/8-mile track.
​
Papi Rob Hanover had shown steady development to the point that he was bet down to 7-5 second choice behind 6-5 double Sire Stakes winner Cattlewash, and “Papi” fronted the chalk and the rest of the field through fractions of :26.4, :54.4, and 1:23.1. Through the :27.3 final quarter, Cattlewash stayed within two lengths but could not get closer as Papi Rob Hanover, second in a Sire Stakes in his last start, made the breakthrough for trainer Brett Pelling and owner David McDuffee.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Great Northeast Open Series (GNOS) hosts its final 2019 preliminaries this weekend, with $30,000 events at both Pocono (Saturday evening, open pacers) and Philly (Sunday afternoon, open trotters and mare pacers).
​
This will be the final chance for horses to earn points so that they might be eligible for their $100,000 Great Northeast Open Series Championships, all held at 1¼ miles. These Championships will be held on Monday, September 9, at Pocono on a twilight card that also will feature all eight Pennsylvania Stallion Series Championships.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – The two-year-old pacing colt Captain Groovy saw his bid to win all four of his Pennsylvania Stallion Series preliminaries look good for much of the stretch at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Wednesday – until he got a bit tired late and was caught by $256.00 shock winner Keystone Dash in 1:53.4.
​
The Sweet Lou – Keystone Dawn colt Keystone Dash did dash away quickly at the start from post seven and had the lead well before the :27.1 opener for Andrew McCarthy. Captain Groovy, starting just to his outside, was patiently guided up to command in front of the stands, and his swift stepping past the middle poles of :56 and 1:25 seemed to have paid off as most of the competition had melted off by the far turn.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – 2015 Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit finished third in his second qualifier after almost three years away from the races Wednesday morning at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, timed in 1:54.2 after winning his first qualifier back in 1:53.4 at Philly eight days ago.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WATTSBURG PA – After a cool but sunny Monday of racing two-year-olds, the skies threatened the three-year-old action on Tuesday at the Erie County Fair in this northwest Pennsylvania town, but a recently-rare show of cooperation by Mother Nature – and hard work by the track crew – allowed the three-year-old A Rocknroll Dance colt Under Paid to circle the twicearound in 2:00.3, just 2/5 of a second behind the all-time Wattsburg standard.
​
In his division of the “A” PA Fair Sire Stake for his class, Under Paid and driver Aaron Johnston were in charge for the mile, posting splits of :29.2, 1:00.3, and 1:31. The weather was again cool and breezy, not conducive to record miles, but Under Paid came home in :29.3, just two ticks shy of the all-tyime local mark shared by Venier Hanover and Midway Island. Under Paid has now won three straight – his fair debut, a pari-mutuel Stallion Series event, and then here at Wattbsurg – with trainer Ron Burke taking a rare dip into the fair waters and emerging successful for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Lawrence Karr, and Phil Collura.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – The Real Desire mare Eclipse Me N won for the fifth time in her last eight starts on the Tuesday twilight card at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, defeating a strong group of mares in the $21,500 distaff pacing feature in 1:50.2.
​
After Bettorhaveanother passed the quarter in front in :27.2, Eclipse Me N and driver Simon Allard were up and clambering for command, reaching that spot and getting a relative breather to the :56 half. From there Eclipse Me N hit a much higher gear, stepping home in :54.2 to defeat first-over Diva’s Image, the slight 6-5 favorite to the winner’s 3-2, by two lengths. The career winner of $292,944 is trained by the meet’s leading conditioner, Rene Allard, for Allard Racing Inc., Yves Sarrazin, and Donald Mac Rae.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
​WILKES-BARRE PA – Although a half length winning margin might not suggest so, the Muscle Hill – Cooler Schooner freshman trotting gelding Real Cool Sam was absolutely in control in his division of the $184,018 final preliminary of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for his group Sunday night at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
 
Real Cool Sam and driver David Miller were looped out of the gate as Big Oil was hustled to the top, but the double world champion methodically made his way forward to the lead in :29.1, with his rivals showing respect and letting him get to the half in :59. Rome Pays Off, a winner in his only Sires start, came uncovered and gained through and past the 1:28 three-quarter pole.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
HARRISBURG PA – Horsemen with fast-class older horses are reminded that the final $30,000 preliminary rounds for the Great Northeast Open Series (GNOS) will be taking place this coming weekend. The GNOS has divisions for open pacers, open trotters, and mare pacers, and this will be the last chance for a horse to earn points towards qualifying for the $100,000 Championships at 1¼ miles at Pocono on Monday, September 9.

The open pacers event is scheduled for Pocono on Saturday, with the draw to be conducted on Monday. The open trotters and mare pacers contests are scheduled for Philly on Sunday, with the draw to be conducted on Tuesday, not Wednesday because of the extra Labor Day Monday card.
​
Further information can be obtained by contacting the race offices at both Philly and Pocono, which will be open on Sunday during their respective afternoon and evening cards.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Springsteen had his third straight “#1” at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on Saturday night, grinding his way past Western Joe to take the $21,500 featured pace in 1:49 and add to a great evening for the brothers Allard.
​
Springsteen, a four-year-old son of Rock N Roll Hanover, was away fourth as Rebellious cut a :27 quarter and the favored (even money vs. Springsteen’s 6-5) Western Joe brushed past him to hit the half in :54.3. Springsteen came first-up at the 5/8 and gained on Western Joe to and past the 1:21.4 three-quarters, and he finally pressured his main foe into submission in deep stretch. Western Joe held on well to miss only a half length, winning a photo from the inside-shooting Rebellious for second.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Backstreet Shadow, undefeated in four starts since joining the powerful Burke Brigade, is the 2-1 favorite from post two for driver Tim Tetrick in a $30,000 Great Northeast Open Series (GNOS) event for fast-class pacers Sunday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
​
The Shadow Play gelding posted a 1:47.3 victory on Hambletonian Day, and last Saturday he won his GNOS debut at Pocono, making two moves and winning a photo in 1:49.2 on a sloppy track. Backstreet Shadow would need victory here and in next week’s final GNOS preliminary contest for his division at Pocono to give himself a chance at qualifying for his division’s $100,000 GNOS Championship at 1¼ miles during the Monday, September 9 card at the mountain oval – only four horses would have a bigger pointtotal after this week’s racing than he would if he won both times.