A pair of sons of Muscle Hill, Prospect Hill and Demon Onthe Hill, became the fastest freshmen trotters of 2018 on a 5/8-mile track with 1:55.4 clockings while running their Pennsylvania Sire Stakes records to two-for-two in winning Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Their clocking was then equalled in the third Sires division by the Cantab Hall colt Osterc, with all three victors taking lifetime bests.

The Muscle Hill–Louise Kemp colt Prospect Hill established himself on the lead at the 3/8 after a :27.3 opener, then got a breather to a :57.3 half. Down the backstretch up came first-over Ginger Tree Skyr, and those two had quite a tussle before, during, and especially after the three-quarter clocking of 1:26.1, with Prospect Hill finally closing out the decision in deep stretch, a length better than his tough rival, for Team Orange Crush – trainer/wife Julie and driver/husband Andy Miller – and owners Stroy Inc. Thursday’s triumph was the third in succession for Prospect Hill.

Demon Onthe Hill, a son of Muscle Hall–Sabrina Hall, came first-up off the second turn after early fractions of :27.3 and :57.2, and trotted strongly right by to the lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:26. Fashion Possessed, who had been racing in the pocket, came out in the winner’s wake mid-far turn, but he could get no closer than 1-3/4 lengths as Demon Onthe Hill was victorious for driver Brian Sears, trainer Marcus Melander and Vicky Trotting Inc.

The Cantab Hall–Oh Oh Hereshecomes colt Osterc was three-deep much of the :28.2 first panel in his section, but driver Yannick Gingras kept him going forward to 3/8 command, posting middle splits of 58.1 and 1:27. Favoured Flippen Creek loomed as a potential pocket rocket, but Osterc was having none of that, staying clear by 2-1/2 lengths while running his record to 2-for-3 for trainer Jimmy Takter and owners Christina Takter and Goran Falk.

The parade of top PA-sired two-year-old colts continues in the next two cards with pacers featured, as Friday finds seven divisions of Stallion Series action slated, while on Sunday four divisions of the Sire Stakes hard hitters will highlight the action.

Moonshiner Hanover overcame the tuck-then-grind trip to post a victory in 1:52.3, a new mark, in winning the $18,000 feature for older stock over a late-charging Tyson. David Miller guided the son of Andover Hall, now a winner of $544,457, for trainer Chris Beaver, who is the co-owner with Synerco Ventures Inc. and Bill Manes.

(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)