By: Jerry Connors, Jr.
CHESTER PA – Greenma sat back a highly-contested battle for the lead through most of the $13,500 featured trot for up-and-coming horses at Harrah’s Philadelphia on “Trottin’ Thursday,” then moved wide and drew away from his tired competition while equaling her lifetime mark of 1:53.4.
Contenders were three-deep to a :27.4 quarter, with Honolulu Hanover eventually giving way to Jersey Slide, who took the field past a :56.3 half. Beaujolais Breeze made a strong uncovered challenge to the 1:25 three-quarters, with Greenma towing right along. Greenma sailed by his rivals easily in the last eighth, with Honolulu Hanover coming back inside to beat out Beaujolais Breeze for second behind the victorious altered sophomore son of Greenshoe, who is trained and driven by Trond Smedshammer for Purple Haze Stables LLC.
Moni Buys Happynes, despite 28 days away from the races, was never headed in his division of the $12,000 subfeature trots for a class below the top developing horses. The International Moni sophomore filly posted a new lifetime mark of 1:55 in winning easily for driver Johnathan Ahle and owner - trainer Richard Hans (of Googoo Gaagaa fame).
In the other grouping of this class, On Golden Pond sat third-over off several front-end battlers, swept four-wide into the lane, and picked up the field to win in 1:58.1. A three-year-old daughter of Southwind Frank, On Golden Pond was guided by Patrick Ryder for trainer Roberta Nikodemski, also co-owner with Michael Nikodemski.
In the top fast-class handicap event for trotters, worth $13,000, Celebrity Bambino worked to the lead nearing the quarter, backed the half way down, then sprinted home in :56 to keep pocketsitting Super Duper Cooper 1½ lengths at bay while finishing the mile in 1:53.1. Corey Callahan worked out a fine trip for the son of Muscle Hill, now at $927,344 in career earnings; Ron Burke does the training for Burke Racing Stable LLC, J&T Silva Stables, Knox Services Inc., and Phil Collura.
Usain Hanover was not content with an early midpack tuck, so Jack Pelling asked him to go on to the lead, which he did under the wire the first time. From there the Bar Hopping gelding proved to be much the best in the $11,000 subfeature for the fast-class set, with the 1:53 time equaling his fastest race mile ever (he qualified in 1:51.4 at The Meadowlands last month). The familiar team of trainer Jeff Cullpher and owner Pollack Racing LLC collaborated yet again.
No fewer than nine horsemen had two victories are Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday: drivers Johnathan Ahle, Corey Callahan, Mark Herschberger, George Napolitano Jr., Jack Pelling, and Patrick Ryder, and trainers Ron Burke, Jeff Cullipher, and Annie Stoebe.
Racing will take place at Philly on Friday at 12:25, with female pacers featured, and Sunday at 12:40, when their male counterparts take center stage. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
CHESTER PA – Greenma sat back a highly-contested battle for the lead through most of the $13,500 featured trot for up-and-coming horses at Harrah’s Philadelphia on “Trottin’ Thursday,” then moved wide and drew away from his tired competition while equaling her lifetime mark of 1:53.4.
Contenders were three-deep to a :27.4 quarter, with Honolulu Hanover eventually giving way to Jersey Slide, who took the field past a :56.3 half. Beaujolais Breeze made a strong uncovered challenge to the 1:25 three-quarters, with Greenma towing right along. Greenma sailed by his rivals easily in the last eighth, with Honolulu Hanover coming back inside to beat out Beaujolais Breeze for second behind the victorious altered sophomore son of Greenshoe, who is trained and driven by Trond Smedshammer for Purple Haze Stables LLC.
Moni Buys Happynes, despite 28 days away from the races, was never headed in his division of the $12,000 subfeature trots for a class below the top developing horses. The International Moni sophomore filly posted a new lifetime mark of 1:55 in winning easily for driver Johnathan Ahle and owner - trainer Richard Hans (of Googoo Gaagaa fame).
In the other grouping of this class, On Golden Pond sat third-over off several front-end battlers, swept four-wide into the lane, and picked up the field to win in 1:58.1. A three-year-old daughter of Southwind Frank, On Golden Pond was guided by Patrick Ryder for trainer Roberta Nikodemski, also co-owner with Michael Nikodemski.
In the top fast-class handicap event for trotters, worth $13,000, Celebrity Bambino worked to the lead nearing the quarter, backed the half way down, then sprinted home in :56 to keep pocketsitting Super Duper Cooper 1½ lengths at bay while finishing the mile in 1:53.1. Corey Callahan worked out a fine trip for the son of Muscle Hill, now at $927,344 in career earnings; Ron Burke does the training for Burke Racing Stable LLC, J&T Silva Stables, Knox Services Inc., and Phil Collura.
Usain Hanover was not content with an early midpack tuck, so Jack Pelling asked him to go on to the lead, which he did under the wire the first time. From there the Bar Hopping gelding proved to be much the best in the $11,000 subfeature for the fast-class set, with the 1:53 time equaling his fastest race mile ever (he qualified in 1:51.4 at The Meadowlands last month). The familiar team of trainer Jeff Cullpher and owner Pollack Racing LLC collaborated yet again.
No fewer than nine horsemen had two victories are Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday: drivers Johnathan Ahle, Corey Callahan, Mark Herschberger, George Napolitano Jr., Jack Pelling, and Patrick Ryder, and trainers Ron Burke, Jeff Cullipher, and Annie Stoebe.
Racing will take place at Philly on Friday at 12:25, with female pacers featured, and Sunday at 12:40, when their male counterparts take center stage. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.
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