By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – Corey Callahan was the hot driver during the Friday afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia, piloting six winners – although it took the crowd a little while to catch up with Corey, as his first five winners (none of them in features) all paid $16.20 or more for a $2 ticket.
The Callahan sextet included a victory from Elektra A in the $13,000 featured distaff handicap pace. The daughter of Four Starzzz Shark left swiftly to gain command in a :26.2 initial panel, then yielded to favored Jeff Cullipher stablemate Uptown Hanover and sat behind her as she put up midsplits of :55 and 1:22.2. The winner came on in the lane to corral her barnmate by 1 ¼ lengths at the end of a 1:50.3 mile for driver Callahan and Pollack Racing LLC, who also owns the second-place finisher. Cullipher had two winners on the day, making the trainers race Dean Eckley 29, Cullipher and Per Engblom 28.
In the $12,000 co-featured distaff pace (one of the few bigger prizes to elude Callahan), 18-1 shot Sandradimples held on gamely to win in 1:53. Half the field was involved in the :27 opening quarter, with Sandradimples making a second move just past a :55.2 half to open up a clear lead. Favored Genie Hanover came three-wide to challenge before the 1:23.4 three-quarters, with Knock Twice on her tail, and it was a stretchlong battle among those three. Sandradimples maintained her advantage by a neck over Genie Hanover, who just edged Knock Twice for the deuce. Johnathan Ahle guided the winning daughter of A Rocknroll Dance for trainer-owner Ray Baynes.
In the $12,000 high-priced claiming handicap pace, the American Ideal gelding Glacis looked buried on the wood behind contested fractions of :26.2, :55.3, and 1:23.2 and was still sixth midstretch, but driver Callahan angled him out to find a path, and he exploded to be along late in 1:51.4 over railshooting Franco. Michael Fiumenero trains and owns the winner of two of his last three.
The day opened with the biggest surprise of the year at Philly, as Wardan Express A followed good cover behind a fast pace, then made her bid and got the job done at a $178.80 win mutuel. Chris Temming trains and owns the winner; for driver Callahan, the victory was his second of the meet with a $100+ winner, giving him the lead in that unofficial category, and the six wins moved him to sole fourth in the Philly win standings for sulkysitters.
Sunday’s 12:40 card at Philly will see two-year-old pacing colts race in their last preliminary leg of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series action, trying to secure spots in the upcoming rich finales (Harrah’s Philly hosts all eight Stallion Series Championships, worth $320,000, on Sunday, September 8). There will also be a $3206.59 carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager. Free Philly programs are available at www.phha.org.
CHESTER PA – Corey Callahan was the hot driver during the Friday afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia, piloting six winners – although it took the crowd a little while to catch up with Corey, as his first five winners (none of them in features) all paid $16.20 or more for a $2 ticket.
The Callahan sextet included a victory from Elektra A in the $13,000 featured distaff handicap pace. The daughter of Four Starzzz Shark left swiftly to gain command in a :26.2 initial panel, then yielded to favored Jeff Cullipher stablemate Uptown Hanover and sat behind her as she put up midsplits of :55 and 1:22.2. The winner came on in the lane to corral her barnmate by 1 ¼ lengths at the end of a 1:50.3 mile for driver Callahan and Pollack Racing LLC, who also owns the second-place finisher. Cullipher had two winners on the day, making the trainers race Dean Eckley 29, Cullipher and Per Engblom 28.
In the $12,000 co-featured distaff pace (one of the few bigger prizes to elude Callahan), 18-1 shot Sandradimples held on gamely to win in 1:53. Half the field was involved in the :27 opening quarter, with Sandradimples making a second move just past a :55.2 half to open up a clear lead. Favored Genie Hanover came three-wide to challenge before the 1:23.4 three-quarters, with Knock Twice on her tail, and it was a stretchlong battle among those three. Sandradimples maintained her advantage by a neck over Genie Hanover, who just edged Knock Twice for the deuce. Johnathan Ahle guided the winning daughter of A Rocknroll Dance for trainer-owner Ray Baynes.
In the $12,000 high-priced claiming handicap pace, the American Ideal gelding Glacis looked buried on the wood behind contested fractions of :26.2, :55.3, and 1:23.2 and was still sixth midstretch, but driver Callahan angled him out to find a path, and he exploded to be along late in 1:51.4 over railshooting Franco. Michael Fiumenero trains and owns the winner of two of his last three.
The day opened with the biggest surprise of the year at Philly, as Wardan Express A followed good cover behind a fast pace, then made her bid and got the job done at a $178.80 win mutuel. Chris Temming trains and owns the winner; for driver Callahan, the victory was his second of the meet with a $100+ winner, giving him the lead in that unofficial category, and the six wins moved him to sole fourth in the Philly win standings for sulkysitters.
Sunday’s 12:40 card at Philly will see two-year-old pacing colts race in their last preliminary leg of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series action, trying to secure spots in the upcoming rich finales (Harrah’s Philly hosts all eight Stallion Series Championships, worth $320,000, on Sunday, September 8). There will also be a $3206.59 carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager. Free Philly programs are available at www.phha.org.
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