The Captaintreacherous–Tulu Hanover freshman pacing filly Lyons Sentinel became the only three-time winner in her Pennsylvania Sire Stakes preliminary competition on Thursday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, where she triumphed in 1:51.1.

Now with three victories and three seconds (by a neck, a head, and a nose) in six starts, Lyons Sentinel has spent much of her racing career against the pylons until past the three-quarter pole, but here she got away fourth as Rocknificent (the 4-5 favourite off two previous SS wins), Shouldabeenatd and Primrose established themselves 1-2-3 past a :27.2 quarter, leaving the even-money second choice Lyons Sentinel in fourth and forced to move first-over at the :56.3 half.

But David Miller was able to get the talented baby in high gear very quickly, and she had reached the leader by the 1:23.4 three-quarters, then slowly put away her rival. Annabelle Hanover, who had done well to follow the winner’s cover, proved to be the major danger in the lane, but she had to settle for second, 1 1/4 lengths back, with Rocknificent another three-quarters of a length back behind Lyons Sentinel, who came her own last half in :53.3 raw.

Lyons Sentinel emerged as the leading point-winner in the division’s prelims (she had been tied for first with Rocknificent with two wins and a second, with each defeating the other in a photo), but now she goes, at least temporarily, to the top of the class as the group prepares for its PA Sire Stakes Championship here at Philly on Sunday, September 8. The classy winner is trained by Jim King, Jr. for owner Geoffrey Lyons Mound.

The Somebeachsomewhere–Fashion Ecstasy filly Beyond Ecstasy put herself squarely into the divisional picture with a new mark of 1:51.2 while winning her second PaSS event in the other division (both were worth $91,521). Beyond Ecstasy went frontward to gain the top by the :27 quarter, then yielded to the favoured JK First Lady (Western Ideal out of the Horse of the Year JK Shesalady) mid-way from the quarter to the :55.2 half. Beyond Ecstasy and driver Andrew McCarthy sat patiently in the pocket as Sweet Ace grinded up to third but no closer, pulled for the stretch drive, and out-footed her pacesetting rival by 1-1/2 lengths, with Sweet Ace third.

Beyond Ecstasy now has three wins and a second in five starts; she suffered interference in her other outing. The full sister to Filibuster Hanover is trained by Jim Campbell for Jeffrey and Michael Snyder and the Four Friends Racing Stable LLC.

The Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission is the official tallier of the points earned in the Sire Stakes and the Stallion Series, but a quick, unofficial calculation performed after the last PaSS race revealed the following eight horses with the most points: 1. Lyons Sentinel; 2. Rocknificent; 3. Beyond Ecstasy; 4. Sweet Ace; 5. Baby Your The Best; 6. Shouldabeenatd; 7. JK First Lady; 8. More Than Kute.

(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)