By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
​CHESTER PA – Khaosan Road overcame a two-move mile that saw him uncovered from late backstretch on, gamely outtrotting Resolve To Win to his left and stablemate Southwind Tyrion to his right to take the $16,000 fast-class handicap trot in 1:53.2 at Harrah’s Philadelphia on “Trottin’ Thursday” (which lived up to its name with six miles trotted in 1:55f or less).
 
Khaosan Road, a gelded son of International Moni driven by Johnathan Ahle, saw longshot The Hazelton speed away to lead until Resolve To Win quarter-moved past the :27.4 quarter, and was content to sit third past a :57.2 half and most of the way down the backstretch, with favored barnmate Southwind Tyrion, making his first start in 308 days, on his back.
 
The winner charged up before the 1:25.1 three-quarters to tackle the leader, with “Tyrion” following his cover, and in an exciting stretch duel Khaosan Road, named after a popular tourist street in Bangkok, got the win from “the middle lane,” with Resolve To Win only a head back and Southwind Tyrion another     three parts of a length in arrears. Åke Svanstedt, whom one might expect anywhere where high-class trotters are gathered, sent out his third winner of the afternoon; this one is the winner of $463,056 for Knutsson Trotting Inc. and Little E LLC.
 
Bred in Sweden, shipping from Italy, a winner at Philly after three months off, and looking ready to take on the world – that’s the story of Ultion Face S, a Joke Face gelding who was an in-hand winner in 1:53.1 in his Stateside debut, the $13,000 co-featured fast-class trot.
 
David Miller (who tied with Simon Allard  for top driver of the day honors with three victories) floated out with the newcomer and spotted third just past the quarter, then down the back launched an uncovered assault on pacesetter Outside The Fire, who put up fractions of :28.3, :57.4, and 1:25.3. But the leader proved no match for Ultion Face S, who trotted his back numbers in :54.4 - :27 and looked like he could have gone more for trainer Per Engblom and owners Engblom Stable LLC and Jesper Bjorn Arvenberg.
 
There were also two top-level trots for horses climbing the classladder. In a $14,000 contest, Cheers Hanover and Frank Leahy met again, as they had in a Beal Consolation at Pocono, and again the pocket horse won – but this time it was the Bar Hopping sophomore gelding Cheers Hanover who had his picture taken.
 
The pacesetter at Pocono when he was caught, this time Cheers Hanover followed Frank Leahy through fractions of :28.1, :57.2, and 1:25.3 before vacating the two-hole mid-far turn and wearing down the frontstepper by 1½ lengths in 1:54.1. David Miller drove the three-year-old to victory for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jim Simpson, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.
 
The $13,500 subfeature for up-and-comers saw the Aperfectyankee sophomore colt Themoneyisback S get the early lead in :28.4, yield to sit behind Flightline through middle fractions of :57.4 and 1:25.4, pop out on the far turn and go right to the lead, then marched off to defeat Alwayswithus by 2¾ lengths       in 1:54.3; Flightline held for third. Themoneyisback S is trained and was driven by Jim Oscarsson, and is owned by his Oscarsson Racing Stable Inc.
 
Racing resumes at Philly on Friday at 12:25, with distaff pacers in the spotlight. A week from Friday, September 5, Harrah’s Philadelphia will proudly host a $1.4M card headlined by the four $300,000 Championships for the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for the four divisions of two-year-olds, plus $50,000 consolations. Frantic Hanover (colt pace) and Ginger Tree Lex (filly trot), winners of all four of their preliminaries, will go for “the clean sweep” of their respective divisions.
 
Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
​WILKES-BARRE PA – Trotters were twice in the feature race spotlight Tuesday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, and that crackling you may have heard wasn’t from the storm that passed through the area, but the tote board straining to handle the big payouts generated by the longshot winners.
 
The rain started just before the $15,500 featured event on the card, turning the surface from “fast” to “good,” at which it stayed the rest of the day (even though the sun was out by the next post parade). The off going didn’t hinder the Love You sophomore gelding Beaujolais Breeze, who made a powerful move down the backstretch to command and went on to defeat Bizzy Brenda, who was traveling in his wake, by 1¼ lengths while taking a new lifetime best of 1:55.
 
Beaujolais Breeze, unraced at two, had won three of his first six career starts in eastern Pennsylvania before trying Kentucky stakes company for five starts, earning some checks but never hitting the board. The wagerers saw the mediocre Bluegrass finishes and must have forgotten the early potential he showed, for Beaujolais Breeze was dismissed at 14-1 before winning for the track’s leading driver, Tyler Buter, trainer Nifty Norman, and the ownership of Tom Vassiliou, Deo Volente Farms LLC, Thomas Pontone, and Enzed Racing Stable Inc.
 
P L Quinella had come to Pocono off two straight successes at Grand River Raceway, made a break in his mountain bow, then fronted a field while setting a new mark of 1:53.4 last time out at 39-1. The stepup in class to the $12,500 co-feature level and post eight must have scared off the handicappers, but P L Quinella was not ruffled at all, winning (pre-rain) in 1:54.4.
 
Johnathan Ahle got him a pocket trip, waited for the Pocono Pike, then went right on by in hand, paying win backers to the tune of $66.00 (the first time in recent memory that a horse paid $50+ to win two straight weeks at Pocono). The crowd will likely be much more savvy the next time the Kadabra gelding, trained by Anthony Faulkner for owner Jaypaul Hoover, takes to the track.
 
Driving triples were posted by the two drivers who between them have won the last fifteen Pocono dash crowns – Matt Kakaley and George Napolitano Jr. Kakaley’s three-bagger included a winner for trainer Mike Simons, a former Pocono driving champion who last raced locally on April 1 before spending the spring and summer in Kentucky; Napolitano’s triple included two horses for trainer Linda Toscano, the only conditioner who doubled on the card.
 
Racing resumes at Pocono on Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by the last Sunday card of 2025 at the northeast Pennsylvania oval, which will start at 6 p.m. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org. 

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
​WATTSBURG PA – The Pennsylvania fair circuit returned to the Erie County Fair in the northwestern part of the state for Sunday and Monday racing during the fair proper, after earlier hosting a “2-day Sire Stakes meet.”
 
Quick performances, many by horses with a long list of “A” fair successes, came during the Monday racing for the three-year-olds. The quickest mile, 2:01.2 (over an oval which has never seen a 2:00 mile in its long history), was put up by the cleverly-named Stay Hungry gelding Fasting, already his division’s season’s leader at the twicearound ovals, for driver Eric Neal and trainer Mitchell York, the latter co-owner with Erin York.
 
Absent from this division at Wattsburg was Bettor Not, undefeated in nine “A” fair trips to the gate, but that gave the opportunity for two horses to be co-leaders with him in wins at the nine number. One such winner was the Always B Miki pacing filly Milagro, who had carried a long list of fair accomplishments with her already: five 2:00 wins, including the fastest fair mile of the year at 1:55.2, and defending Fair championship winner.
 
However, Milagro’s 2:04 time was actually the slowest of three divisions for her group in Erie: the Heston Blue Chip filly D’applesrsweet was speediest at 2:02 for driver James Dodson, trainer Ronald Lineweaver, and owner Steve Wetzel, and Milagro’s stablemate for driver Tony and trainer Linda Schadel, Tina’s Wish, won in 2:03.2.
 
Another horse of Team Tony / Linda who boosted his “A” fair win total to nine was Lionheart Hanover, a gelded trotting son of Greenshoe who also was a 2024 fair champion; he notched the fastest trotting mile of the meet, 2:05.4.
 
During Sunday’s racing for two-year-olds, the first winner was the circuit’s first five-time freshman trotting winner in the “A” stakes, the Fordham Road – Keystone Wonder gelding RT Wonder Colt, who has now won two straight, four of his last six, and five of his last eight for driver Eric Neal, trainer Tom Loughry Jr., and Brocious Racing Stable Inc. of the fondly-remembered “Lefty.”
 
Fastest among all the diagonally-gaited freshman babies was the Father Patrick – Tom’s B-day Belle filly Belle’s Victory, who recorded a 2:07.1 time for the husband/wife ownership team of Tony Schadel and Linda Schadel.
 
Two two-year-old pacers who had already notched five “A” victories, the gelding Quill Gordon and filly Vegas Queen, were not successful in adding a sixth. The male top division produced the fastest freshman clocking, 2:03.4, in a race won by Fancy Captain, an altered son of Captain Crunch – Fancy Filly driven by Aaron Johnston for trainer Dan Walski and Walski Stables LLC.
 
 The lone filly “A” cut was won by the Stay Hungry – Keepofftheflowers miss Dancin Camille, who won her second race in her most recent three starts for driver Chris Shaw, trainer Brian Indof, and owner Frank Indof.
 
Tony Schadel piloted six winners to lead the Wattsburg fair meet, one more than Aaron Johnston and Chris Shaw. All six of Tony’s winners were trained by Linda Schadel for the conditioners’ lead, with the podium filled out by two more female trainers, Ashley Brown and Joyce Lineweaver at three each.
 
“If ya snooze, ya lose” on the Pennsylvania fair circuit, and entries are already drawn for racing on Wednesday and Thursday at the Stoneboro Fair, which has a noon post each day. Better Not, Lionheart Hanover, and Milagro will all be seeking Pennsylvania fair circuit win number ten in 2025 on the Thursday program. For more information, please visit https://www.pafairsracing.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
WILKES-BARRE PA – A trio of $15,000 contests for up-and-coming horses fitting the basic condition of “non-winners of four races life” topped the Monday afternoon racing at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
 
The Always B Miki gelding Laugh Shop has now won four of his last six races as he won the section of the top class for pacing males with a mile in 1:51.2. Laugh Shop was extended between horses to get the lead near the :26.4, then had hounding pressure through midfractions of :55 and 1:22.3 for driver Braxten Boyd. But Laugh Shop showed no ill effects from the strenuous front-end trip, easily withstanding Chief Bogo for trainer Jill Wine and the ownership of Samuel Abdoo and Wine Stable.
 
In the tri-featured event for distaff pacers, the Papi Rob Hanover sophomore filly Intricacy fought hard for the lead to a :27 quarter, went on to middle fractions of :56.2 and 1:24.1, then stayed clear to get the big part of the purse in 1:53. George Napolitano Jr. got the filly back on the winning beam for trainer Nik Drennan, whose Drennan Stable LLC shares ownership with Joseph Davino, Brad Shackman, and Patrick O’Brien.
 
There was constant early activity in the top trot, with Bo Silas yielding to Robert Michael just past a :27.4 quarter, only for that one in turn to give up the lead to heavily-favored Honolulu Hanover, who moved from midpack nearing the quarter, was left raw, and went up to get the front nearing the second turn, before the :57.2 half. Honolulu Hanover was not threatened after that, reaching the three quarters in 1:26.4 and stopping the clock in 1:56.2, with Bo Silas claiming second from Robert Michael late. Mark Herschberger drove the three-year-old Bar Hopping colt to victory for the ubiquitous Burke Brigade, trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, William Switala and James Martin.
 
Honolulu Hanover’s win gave Burke, the leading trainer at Pocono, the late Double and the only two-bagger among conditioners; on the driving side, Braxten Boyd, Mark Herschberger, Anthony Napolitano, Jim Pantaleano and Ridge Warren each succeeded twice.
 
The racing week concludes at Pocono Downs on Tuesday with a 1 p.m. card, with both developing and fast-class trotters featured. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – In Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series competition at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, two-year-old trotting colts and geldings contested their fourth and final preliminary leg, racing for $177,378 and adding enough points to make their upcoming rich Championships (the Sire Stakes horses here on Friday, September 5 and the Stallion Series competitors on Monday, September 8 at Pocono).
 
The three Sire Stakes divisional winners were all sent away as the third choice – and that’s quite surprising in the case of Mr Big Spender, who made a break in his last race but had won four stakes in a row before that, including two Sire Stakes legs. On Sunday the Captain Corey – Reilly K colt made it three victories in the PaSS, making a move for driver Mike Wilder nearing the :28.2 quarter, getting the lead and a breather to the half in :57.3, and then just overpowering the competition from there, passing the three-quarters in 1:26 and drawing off to an easy 3 1/4 length win in 1:54.2 – just a tick off the divisional track record at Philly set last year by Father TJ, and equaling his mark.
 
Mr Big Spender now has five wins in seven lifetime starts (the other two stakes wins were in the Arden Downs and Pennsylvania All-Stars) for trainer Norm Parker and owners Bart and Todd Brice. Depending upon the draw, he surely will be among the favorites in his upcoming Championship races.
 
Opening the card was Minoan, a Bar Hopping – Regal Woman colt who now has a pair of SS prelim wins after a 1:55 triumph. Johnathan Ahle took the Noel Daley trainee straight to the engine, put up splits of :28.1, :58.3, and 1:26.2, then won by three lengths over favored Mr Penner, who attacked strongly first-over but then could not sustain. Minoan, who also had a second in a PaSS prelim, is owned by Patricia Stable, L A Express Stable, Sjoblom Racing, and the trainer.
 
After a “x6-5-x7” scorecard in the first three Sire Stakes, the International Moni - Legal Lady gelding Oversear put it all together in his third start hoppled, breaking his maiden in 1:55.1. Trainer-driver Charlie Norris sat third off early splits of :28.2 and :58, was on the move uncovered well before the 1:26.2 three-quarters, and did not falter to the line in overhauling favored Dublin Hanover for owners Carrie Norris, Max J. Hempt, James Zito, and Dr. James Sautter. An unofficial quick calculation after the day’s races showed that the win would carry Oversear into eligibility for his Championship, but all parties should seek out the official totals from the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission, Bureau of Standardbred Horse Racing.
 
Mr Big Spender’s sire Captain Corey also fathered the fastest (by far) of the three Stallion Series winners – Captain Jordan (dam Jordan Blue Chip), who took a new mark of 1:55.2 after controlling the pace under Jim Marohn Jr.’s handling. Captain Jordan won his purse debut in a PA All-Stars contest, then broke in his last two starts, with Scott Di Domenico adding trotting hopples at that point. With the new equipment, he has two StS wins as he beat a field which had four other series winners in it for the ownership of Joseph Faraldo and Triple D Stable Inc. (Rico Tubbs, the only horse to have won twice in the first three PaStS prelims, did not race Sunday.) This group’s pointstandings are even tighter than the Sire Stakes, and again the PA Commission should be contacted for final official totals.
 
Driver Mike Wilder and sire Bar Hopping notched a PaSS-PaStS “double” when the two combined with the gelding Glenlivet (dam Ireland), who broke his maiden in 1:59.3 in the only stake of the day won by less than a length. Glenlivet turned away Almost Free by three quarters of a length, utilizing the inside lane for success for trainer Bill Daugherty, a “trotting colt specialist” on the state’s fair circuit, and owner Susan Daugherty.
 
The other Stallion Series winner also broke his maiden, after four seconds in his first five career starts (including a pair of deuces in the StS) – the Cue Hall – Happy Everything gelding Bayside Cue, who marched to the lead on the first turn and finished out a 1:58.3 winner for driver Brandon Givens, trainer Les Givens, and J M B Ventures.
 
Philly racing will resume on Thursday with a 12:25 starting time, with the “Trottin’ Thursday” usual mix of developing horses and fast-class horses in the feature spotlight. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
WILKES-BARRE PA – Pacer Lou’s Starr and trotter Seven Reps were both half length winners in the twin $17,000 features for developing horses Saturday afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
 
The Sweet Lou three-year-old colt Lou’s Starr earned a lifetime record of 1:50.4 in winning the pacing headliner. Driver Fern Paquet Jr. left alertly with Lou’s Starr, then yielded after the :27.1 quarter to brushing favorite Gretzky The Great, who led through midrace splits of :55.4 and 1:22.3. Paquet held Lou’s Starr in reserve until late on the far turn then moved him outside, and the talented pacer got by the chalk for trainer Scott Warnick and owner Daniel Chansky.
 
The trotting feature saw the Muscle Hill gelding Seven Reps press on to the lead at the quarter and maintain command the rest of the way while winning in 1:53.4. Kierkegaard K took advantage of the rail to take some sting out of the winner before yielding at the :27 quarter, after which that one rode the two-hole behind Seven Reps through middle splits of :57 and 1:25. Kierkegaard K came on steadily in the Pocono Pike, but Pocono’s leading driver, Tyler Buter, kept Seven Reps to task to maintain control at the wire for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Lawrence Karr, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.
 
Despite crossing the wire first or second in all five Pocono starts since coming in from Oak Grove, the fans let the Always B Miki gelding Congressional go off at 14-1 in the $16,500 fast-class pace, and he defied their prediction by winning in 1:51. Owned, trained, and driven by Kevin Wallis, Congressional used his handiness to fire out for the lead from post seven, then after the :26.3 quarter was content to yield to favored Santana Hanover and sit behind that one during midfractions of :56.2 and 1:23.1 (guess which way the wind was blowing). After the “free ride,” Congressional showed his usual determination and came up the Pocono Pike to catch the leader by three quarters of a length.
 
Braxten Boyd, Tyler Buter, and Ridge Warren each had driving doubles; two-time winners on the trainers side were meet leader Ron Burke (both driven by Buter) and Travis Alexander (one driven by Boyd and one by Warren).
 
Pocono was scheduled to race Sunday night, but a lack of entries forced the cancellation of that card. Monday and Tuesday will feature 13-race programs that begin at 1 p.m; Monday’s program will have a carryover into both the fifth race Pick 5 and the last race High 5 pools. The following week, Pocono’s schedule is Saturday at 1 p.m., the last Sunday on the calendar at 6 p.m., and then Monday and Tuesday at 1 p.m. Free Pocono program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
INDIANA PA – The Pennsylvania Fair Circuit set up shop in this westcentral Pennsylvania county, native area of actor Jimmy Stewart, on Thursday and Friday for two days of racing during the fair, and within five races of the start of the meet, a track record had been rewritten by a two-year-old trotter three times, setting the tone for the rest of the stand’s racing.
 
The International Moni – By A Nose Hanover gelding Nose Jammer reset the Indiana standard for freshman trotting males in the very first race, lowering it from 2:05.1 (Markup Hanover, 2012) to 2:04.2 while taking his third start in his last four outings. Trainer-driver Todd Schadel co-owns the new recordholder with wife Christine. The other “A” division went to the only four-time “A” winner among freshman trotters, the Fordham Road - Keystone Wonder gelding RT Wonder Colt.
 
79-years-young Roger Hammer notched his 4461st driving victory and 2650th triumph as a trainer (where he focuses his energy these days) when he took a turn in the sulky behind the Fordham Road – A Little Laid Back distaff Little Road, whom he owns and who was a pari-mutuel Stallion Series winner in her last start. Against a 2:05.4 divisional track record co-held by Lady Broadway (2012), Ridinonarainbow (2018), and Shalamar Hanover (2024), Little Road and Hammer whitewashed those standards with a triumph in 2:03.2 …
 
… only to see, 15 minutes later, that Todd Schadel, with whom Hammer was partners in the $3+-plus-earning Hambletonian winner Vivid Photo, would knock a fifth off this baby trotting filly mark before the ink was even dry, with Whiskey Woman, a daughter of International Moni – Cantab Cabela. Trainer-driver Schadel again is co-owner of the winner, who has now won three in a row, with his wife Christine.
 
Notable among the two-year-old pacers were the Captain Crunch – Pretty Proud gelding Ima Proud Captain, fastest freshman at 2:01.3; and a pair of serial-winning fillies: Vegas Queen (Sweet Lou – Takara Rose), now a five-time success story in “A” company, and Dark Sky (Tall Dark Stranger – Firestorm), who after five wins at the “B” level finally went back to the “A”s and was promptly successful.
 
Among the three-year-olds, several enviable win totals were extended, and one track record rewritten, that by the Always B Miki pacing filly Golden Magic, who won in 1:59, taking a fifth off Vorst’s 2016 mark while also coming within two-fifths of the all-time Indiana standard set by sophomore male Straight Character in 2010. 23-year-old Case Bateson had the best view of the record mile handling the Doug Snyder-trained filly, who is owned by Geraldine Poerio.
 
The other magic mile of the meet came in the other division of Friday’s “A” filly pace, and appropriately it was won by another daughter of Always B Miki, Milagro, the 2024 fair champion who posted her seasonal high fifth 2:00 mile of the summer season while winning her eighth “A” contest for co-owners driver Tony Schadel and trainer Linda Schadel.
 
The only horse with more fair wins than Milagro is the Captain Crunch colt Bettor Not, now nine-for-nine on the twicearound circuit after a 2:02 score for trainer-driver Todd Schadel, co-owner with wife Christine.
 
Another Tony/Linda horse, the 2024 fair champ Lionheart Hanover (a Greenshoe gelding), also has eight victories around the state half-milers after posting the co-fastest trotting mile of the meet, 2:02. The other 2:02 trotter was the International Moni filly Tally The Tab, whose tab now shows seven fair wins, including five straight on the cotton candy circuit, for Todd and Christine.
 
Todd Schadel led both the Indiana fair categories for horsemen with seven wins; behind him on the driving side were Eric Neal with five and Dave Brickell with three, while on the training side there was a five-way dead-heat for second with two winners involving Neil Balcerak, Joyce Lineweaver, Tom Loughery Jr., Randal Neal and Linda Schadel.
 
Next week there are two western stops on the Pennsylvania Fair Circuit: on Sunday and Monday at Wattsburg, racing at 1 p.m. each day, and on Wednesday and Thursday at noon at Stoneboro. For more information, please visit https://www.pafairsracing.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – Sweet Odds finally broke her run of “seconditis” with a 1:52.3 lifetime best in the $12,000 co-feature for pacing females on Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, while on the trotting side of the featured events Theobald came wide off lively cover to take the decision in 1:55.4.
 
The Sweet Lou sophomore filly Sweet Odds had finished second six straight times, for times by a length or less, yet the public still backed her to the tune of 1-5, and the chalk repaid the confidence, leading through fractions of :27.3, :56.4, and 1:25 before adding on a :27.3 kicker to be 2¼ lengths clear at the finish for driver Simon Allard, trainer Per Engblom, and Morrison Racing Stables.
 
The three-year-old Six Pack gelding Theobald, the second choice, followed the cover of favored Flight Of Fritz, but for a large part of the race it didn’t look like anyone was going to reach 8-1 pacesetter Raondover as the one put up fractions of :28, :57.3, and 1:26.1. But the outer tiers horses kept digging, and it was Theobald who had the most late, a length ahead of Roandover, who in turn saved second by a neck over Flight Of Fritz. Theobald was driven by Corey Callahan for trainer Christopher Freck, and Stormi And Bruiser Stable. The drivers of the featured winners, Allard and Callahan, visited Victory Lane three times each to tie for top honors in that category.
 
In an $11,000 handicap pace for fast-class females, another daughter of Sweet Lou got the glory, as Absolute Power won in 1:52 for driver Andy Miller and Team Cancelliere – trainer Tom and owner-brother John. Absolute Power raced in front with fractions of :26.4, :55.1, and 1:23.3 as wave after wave of wide challengers couldn’t reach; in the ned it was favored Miss Chantilly N, third-in most of the way, who proved the biggest threat coming up the inside, but Absolute Power had enough power left to score a half-length decision.
 
Sunday’s 12:40 card is highlighted by $177,378 of stakes action, as the two-year-old trotting males will go in their fourth and final preliminary of their Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series groups. The $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships for two-year-olds (with $50,000 consolations if filling) will be held at Philly during a $1.4M+ card on Friday, September 5. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

By: Jerry Connors, Jr. 
CHESTER PA – French Wine paid a good price for keeping early control of the throttle, but then he never looked back while winning the $16,000 fast-class handicap trot Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 1:54.1.
 
Andy Miller had the victorious son of Bar Hopping revved up enough early to obtain and then refuse to relinquish the lead through an opening fraction of :27.2. On a day that was quite a bit cool than it has been locally for a few weeks, Miller could then “steal” the half in :57.3, pass the three-quarters in 1:26.1, and still have a :28 kicker in the tank to ward off an angling Resolve To Win by a neck, with first-over favorite Dial Square S holding her ground well to be just another neck off the winner.
 
Julie Miller trains the winner of $1,259,884, who has now won three of his last four and four of his last six, for Andy Miller Stable Inc., Daniel and Jean Plouffe, and One Legend Stable Inc.
 
Mr Bluebird flew away from the gate, set fractions of :29.1, :58.1, and 1:26.2, then had enough in reserve to defeat potential pocket rocket Excalibur Bi by 1½ lengths in 1:54.4 in the $14,000 co-featured trot. Trainer Åke Svanstedt was present at Harrah’s Thursday, but the son of Six Pack had been doing well when driven by Johnathan Ahle, and Ahle kept the steer for this victory for Åke Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC, and Torbjorn Swahn Inc. Svanstedt drove two other winners on the card, giving the barn three success stories on the day.
 
Another son of Six Pack, the gelding Six Pack Tony, was parked wide early but rushed up to get the lead on the first turn, set fractions of :28.4, :58.1, and 1:27, then stayed clear by 1½ lengths to take a $13,500 trot in 1:56.1. Art Stafford Jr. guided the winner for trainer Brendan Davis and Moni Talks LLC.
 
George Napolitano Jr. topped the sulkysitters set with three victories.
 
Racing resumes at the riverside oval on Friday at 12:25; the feature on the 12:40 Sunday card is the final preliminary round of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series for two-year-old trotting males, as the babies try to secure spots in their upcoming rich Championships (the freshman PaSS championship will be held on a $1.4M card on Friday, September 5. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.