CHESTER PA – The Big Jim gelding Santana Hanover took the inner path for most of Sunday’s $14,500 featured pace for developing horses at Harrah’s Philadelphia, then moved outside in the lane and went on to take a new lifetime mark of 1:50.
Driver Jack Pelling got the four-year-old forwardly-placed early as Storm The Court stormed by everybody early, with favored Stay Grounded bypassing a chance for the pocket nearing the quarter and going on to take the lead past that :27 station, proceeding to the half in :55.3. Storm The Court pulled from the two-hole to take on the leader down the backstretch but could not threaten past a 1:22.1 three-quarters, with Pelling sliding Santana Hanover up to the pocket around the final turn. The career winner of $233,630 then went by the leader in the lane to record a three-quarter length winning margin for trainer Jennifer Bongiorno and the partnership of JB Racing and J R and Collin Ryan.
In the $13,000 handicap pace for fast-class veterans, driver Andrew McCarthy decided not to take an early tuck with race favorite Camara Moment, going on to the lead past the :26.3 opener and then getting a breather to the half in :56. The Control The Moment gelding controlled the throttle the rest of the way, past a 1:23 three-quarters and then to the final clocking of 1:50.3, holding off late-closing Sport Secret by a length. The Michael Fiumenero trainee, winner of two of three locally and now over $200,000 in career earnings, is owned by James Borke, Mickey Suder, Brenton Harris, and Dewitt Stables.
Todd McCarthy, Andrew McCarthy, and Tim Tetrick won the last three races on the card, completing a driving triple for each of the trio; the first- and last-named are tied at the top of the Philly standings with nineteen victories in eight cards. Jeff Cullipher had the only training double of the day, and now leads the conditioners in wins at both Philly and Pocono.
This coming week there will be a variation in the basic schedule due to a Thoroughbred event to be held in Kentucky, as Philly will not race on Thursday, then go on Friday at 12:25, Saturday (Derby Day) at noon, and then Sunday at 12:40. Free program pages for all Philly races are or will be available at www.phha.org.