By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – In his three previous victories this year, two of them in sub-1:47, Captain Optimistic had secured the front end by the half. So when his backers at Philly on Sunday afternoon saw him sixth and wide nearing the first turn, they might have been worried about the 1-9* choice’s chances. But driver Scott Zeron backed off the early speed battle, raced Captain Optimistic from second-over position, and had enough late kick to take the $16,000 fast-class handicap pace in 1:49.2.
More than half of the field of seven had left the switch quickly in the feature, with Lou’s Starr first on top then yielding to Smooth Dream past the :26.1 quarter. Smooth Dream, a Graduate checkgetter, maintained the top at the :54.2 half, after which Goliath Hanover, claimed for $20,000 five starts ago, came up with a speedy first-over challenge, with Captain Optimistic sticking right with his lively cover to and past the 1:21.4 three quarters.
Zeron tipped his charge three-wide approaching the stretch, but then found Goliath Hanover resilient and 47-1 shot Blue Lou swinging even wider from off his back and gaining. But the class of the four-year-old son of Captaintreacherous showed as :53.3 back half speed (after a wide start) carried him to a three quarters of a length victory over Goliath Hanover, with Blue Lou another half length back, as the ”Captain,” now a winner of $1,320,787, got the job done for trainer Nancy Takter and the Captain Optimistic Stable.
In the $13,000 co-featured fast class pace, Taranaki was away strongly for the pocket behind pacesetting Water Sports Teen (:26.1, :54,2, 1:22.1), found room to go up the inside to a midstretch lead, then had a group of late challengers threatening his advantage late but maintained the victory in 1:50.2; 49-1 shot Dontmesswithles was nearest the winner, a neck back. The victorious roan son of Huntsville has won two in a row and four of his last seven for trainer Paul Jessop, co-owner with Laurie Molnar.
Favored Toby Or Not Toby, after racing in the Meadowlands Pace Final, was quarter-mover number two in the $14,00 top purse event for developing horses, made the top in front of stands, and paced nicely to defeat his field by two lengths in a lifetime best 1:50.4. Jim Marohn Jr. handled the Tall Dark Stranger sophomore gelding for trainer Scott Di Domenico and the partnership of Oompa’s Farm Inc. and Joseph Barbera.
The list of doubling drivers at Philly on Sunday ran the gamut from A to Z – Simon Allard and Scott Zeron visited the winners circle twice. The only training double went to Johnny Crites Jr.
Racing resumes at Harrah’s Philly on Thursday at 12:25, with the $16,000 featured fast-class handicap trot finding Ari Ferrari J and Benjamin Hanover looking for the upper hand after splitting the last four top trots at Philly; this week they will be joined by Little Expensive, shipping in from Oak Grove after winning four times in the top class at their spring meeting. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
CHESTER PA – In his three previous victories this year, two of them in sub-1:47, Captain Optimistic had secured the front end by the half. So when his backers at Philly on Sunday afternoon saw him sixth and wide nearing the first turn, they might have been worried about the 1-9* choice’s chances. But driver Scott Zeron backed off the early speed battle, raced Captain Optimistic from second-over position, and had enough late kick to take the $16,000 fast-class handicap pace in 1:49.2.
More than half of the field of seven had left the switch quickly in the feature, with Lou’s Starr first on top then yielding to Smooth Dream past the :26.1 quarter. Smooth Dream, a Graduate checkgetter, maintained the top at the :54.2 half, after which Goliath Hanover, claimed for $20,000 five starts ago, came up with a speedy first-over challenge, with Captain Optimistic sticking right with his lively cover to and past the 1:21.4 three quarters.
Zeron tipped his charge three-wide approaching the stretch, but then found Goliath Hanover resilient and 47-1 shot Blue Lou swinging even wider from off his back and gaining. But the class of the four-year-old son of Captaintreacherous showed as :53.3 back half speed (after a wide start) carried him to a three quarters of a length victory over Goliath Hanover, with Blue Lou another half length back, as the ”Captain,” now a winner of $1,320,787, got the job done for trainer Nancy Takter and the Captain Optimistic Stable.
In the $13,000 co-featured fast class pace, Taranaki was away strongly for the pocket behind pacesetting Water Sports Teen (:26.1, :54,2, 1:22.1), found room to go up the inside to a midstretch lead, then had a group of late challengers threatening his advantage late but maintained the victory in 1:50.2; 49-1 shot Dontmesswithles was nearest the winner, a neck back. The victorious roan son of Huntsville has won two in a row and four of his last seven for trainer Paul Jessop, co-owner with Laurie Molnar.
Favored Toby Or Not Toby, after racing in the Meadowlands Pace Final, was quarter-mover number two in the $14,00 top purse event for developing horses, made the top in front of stands, and paced nicely to defeat his field by two lengths in a lifetime best 1:50.4. Jim Marohn Jr. handled the Tall Dark Stranger sophomore gelding for trainer Scott Di Domenico and the partnership of Oompa’s Farm Inc. and Joseph Barbera.
The list of doubling drivers at Philly on Sunday ran the gamut from A to Z – Simon Allard and Scott Zeron visited the winners circle twice. The only training double went to Johnny Crites Jr.
Racing resumes at Harrah’s Philly on Thursday at 12:25, with the $16,000 featured fast-class handicap trot finding Ari Ferrari J and Benjamin Hanover looking for the upper hand after splitting the last four top trots at Philly; this week they will be joined by Little Expensive, shipping in from Oak Grove after winning four times in the top class at their spring meeting. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
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