Super Sunday lived up to the billing on Sunday, May 26 at Harrah's Philadelphia with a trio of $136,986 invitationals highlighting the 16-race card, where Venerate and Twin B Joe Fresh toppled track records in the Maxie Lee and Betsy Ross, respectively, while Ruthless Hanover repeated in the Joseph Auger.

Scott Zeron kept Venerate reserved off a blistering pace, went wide in the lane and trotted the fastest mile in the history of Harrah’s Philadelphia, 1:50.1, in winning the Maxie Lee Memorial Invitational Trot on Sunday afternoon.

The clocking knocked a fifth of a second off the former record of Market Share and Hillexotic, who recorded their record clockings in the 2014 and 2023 Lee, respectively.

Hillexotic and Take All Comers went out flying, with the latter making the top and then hanging out the upstart Benjamin Hanover past a :26.1 quarter. Benjamin Hanover continued on to the half in :54.1, but surrendered to Hillexotic when that one went to the lead by the 1:21.4 three-quarters.

Amigo Volo was on the back of Hillexotic, and on Amigo Volo’s back was Venerate, who went wide into the stretch, trotted up to take over, then held off the heavy favourite, Dover In Motion, who also was out in the cover flow. Venerate, sent off at 13-1, was able to keep the chalk behind him by 1-1/2 lengths at the finish, with Amigo Volo and Hillexotic next in line at the wire.

Venerate was the winner of the Mohawk Million at two, but the six-year-old has been a bit in-and-out since his big year at two. The 1:50.1 equalled his fastest time, set in his only win last year at The Meadowlands.

Venerate comes from the power-packed barn of Marcus Melander, and is owned by Courant Inc., Holly Lane Stud East Ltd., Kemppi Stables Oy Inc., and Venerate Partners.

Zeron praised Melander after the race, saying, “You did a great job with him this past week,” referring to his fourth-place finish in his most recent start in the Cutler at The Meadowlands in relation to his track record mile.

Twin B Joe Fresh made it look easy in the Betsy Ross Invitational for older female pacers, winning by 6-3/4 lengths in a stakes- and track-record 1:48.2 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder. Always B Naughty got the nod in a photo for second, edging Coachellabound N.

Lit De Rose led the field to the opening quarter in :26.3, but her advantage was short-lived as Twin B Joe Fresh took over the top spot with five-eighths of a mile to go. She posted fractions of :55 to the half and 1:22.2 to three-quarters on her way to victory.

“It’s not the first time she’s given us a great race, but it’s exciting to see her come back so well straight away,” said Ryder. “It was very exciting to see her open up as strongly as she did today. I pinch myself, she’s such a good horse. People say you’re doing a good job, but she’s the horse. She’s terrific.”

Twin B Joe Fresh finished second against male rivals in her seasonal debut on May 19 at Philly.

“She needed the race,” said Ryder. “I don’t like to drill her too much at home. She’s a heavy mare, carries a lot of weight, so the race helped her a lot and here we are. It’s racing time.”

Twin B Joe Fresh has won 20 of 29 career races and earned $1.52 million for owners Ryder, Dunn, Peter Trebotica, and Barry Spak. The daughter of Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze was bred by Brittany Farms.

Her winning time in the Betsy Ross set the track record for a four-year-old pacing mare, which was shared previously by Caviart Ally and Max Contract.

Twin B Joe Fresh, the 1-5 favourite, paid $2.60 to win.

After winning the inaugural Joseph Auger Memorial Invitational for older male pacers last year with a world record 1:46.3 effort, Ruthless Hanover returned to Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday to capture the event again, this time with a 1:47.2 score as he held off Ken Hanover by a half-length. Coaches Corner finished third.

In the Auger, Coaches Corner took the field to the opening quarter in :26.3 before driver Andy McCarthy pushed forward with Ruthless Hanover and claimed the top position on the way to a half in :54. Ruthless Hanover, the 4-5 favourite, rolled to three-quarters in 1:20 and fended off Ken Hanover in the stretch to win for the second time in two starts this season for trainer Tom Cancelliere.

“He really likes to roll on the backstretch,” said McCarthy. “It worked out where I didn’t have to use him that hard to get to the top. We went a half in :54, but it was a pretty rated half, so I decided to turn him loose on the backstretch and play 'catch me if you can.'

“I was just trying to keep him feeling good about himself. He’s a very, very fast horse and usually when he races, he races very hard. Tommy is doing a great job to keep him ready and fit and able to race like that.”

Ruthless Hanover, a seven-year-old gelding, is owned by John Cancelliere. The son of Somebeachsomewhere-Rockaroundthetrack was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. He has won 24 of 56 career races and earned $654,382.

In his first start of the season on May 19, Ruthless Hanover won in 1:47.1 at Philly with McCarthy in the sulky.

“Any horse that can go that fast is a fun horse to drive,” said McCarthy. “He’s got a lot of horsepower there. He’s a thrill.”

Ruthless Hanover paid $3.60 to win in the Auger.

South Beach Star won for the second time in three starts this season, capturing the $68,493 SendItIn Philadelphia Invitational by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:48.2 for driver David Miller and trainer Mark Silva. Backstreet Shadow finished second and Maximus Miki was third.

For his career, South Beach Star has won 27 of 75 races and earned $442,624. The six-year-old gelding is owned by All Star Racing. The son of Somebeachsomewhere-Higher And Higher was bred by Daryl Bier and Charles Dombeck.

Sent off as the 5-2 third choice, South Beach Star paid $7 to win.

In addition to the Invitational races on Super Sunday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, there were Sire Stakes and Stallion Series races for three-year-old pacing colts and gelding as the Pennsylvania-sired raced its third of four preliminary legs.

The $211,741 Sire Stakes were contested in three divisions, and first to the wire in the first division was Rush In, three-for-three in the Sire Stakes and successful in his last four starts. The Heston Blue Chip colt brushed to the lead after Ivy Park took the field to the top in :27, rattled off splits of :55 and 1:22.2, then easily saw off the potential pocket rocket by a length while taking a new mark of 1:49.4. Scott Zeron drove the talented colt for trainer Linda Toscano and Let It Ride Stables & Odds On Racing, South Mountain Stables and Island Sun Stable. 

Captain Skippy got away third in his PASS cut as Dancin Champion rolled to splits of :25.4, :54.2 and 1:22, with favoured Armada Hanover retaining the pocket. Dexter Dunn vacated the pylons with Captain Skippy late down the back, with Southwind Celsius joining the action from far back on the far turn. In a big battle to the finish, Captain Skippy was home first in 1:50.2, a new mark, by three-quarters of a length. Southwind Celsius and Armada Hanover were closest the wire, the former edging the latter, behind the winner, trained by Ake Svanstedt for Ake Svanstedt Inc. and Joe Sbrocco.

The final Sire Stakes section was billed as a match-up between Gem Quality, 2023 Breeders Crown winner, and Captain Albano, last year’s U.S. freshman champion, with Gem Quality drawing post five, just inside ”The Captain,” and being made a slight favourite. Gem Quality made the early lead then yielded as Captain Albano paid a :27 price for the top. He went on to midsplits of :55.2 and 1:23, then sprinted home in :26.4 and effectively blunted his opponent’s late rally, winning by three parts of a length in 1:49.4.

Captain Albano now has two wins in as many 2024 starts, both Sire Stakes legs, and gave Captaintreacherous a second Sire Stakes credit while winning for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Noel Daley and the ownership of Patricia Stable, L A Express & Sjoblom Inc. and Michael Dolan.

There were also six $27,397 Stallion Series divisions for the same group.

Women Layer raced to his third straight Stallion Series victory, and remained undefeated in six seasonal starts, proving overpowering while lowering his mark to 1:49.3. Todd McCarthy drove the Sweet Lou gelding, who also has an All-Stars triumph on his resume, for trainer Brett Pelling and the combine of Howard and Judith Taylor, Order By Stable AB and Jerry Silva.

Tim Tetrick and trainer Tim Twaddle, combined with the Captaintreacherous colt Arson as the sophomore posted his second straight Stallion Series success in a lifetime best 1:50.1. Arson brushed to the lead in front of the stands, then held sway to the wire for Thestable Arson Group and Hutchinson Harness LLC.

Captaintreacherous picked up another sire credit with the ridgling Rock The Captain N. The “Captain” found stretch clearance after a third-in trip to win in 1:52.2 for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Tony Alagna and the partnership of Ken Jacobs and Curtin ANZ Stables.

The Always B Miki colt Steely Knife overcame the difficult tuck-then-first-over journey to lower his speed badge to 1:50.3. Yannick Gingras steered the Ron Burke trainee for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Phil Collura and J&T Silva – Purnel & Libby.

The 2023 Fair Sire Stakes champion, Ante Up Hanover, has stepped up his game in 2024 and is now a two-time Stallion Series winner after a success in 1:51 to equal his lifetime mark. The Betting Line gelding, already a 13-time winner in his career, went on to the lead after hard early usage and paced home nicely for trainer/driver Todd Schadel, also co-owner with Christine Schadel.

Schadel won a second Stallion Series event with another Betting Line gelding, Twiggs Pub, who set a mark of 1:53.3. Twiggs Pub raced forwardly-placed, came out late on the far turn and won as a 12-1 shot for trainer Cody Schadel, Todd’s son; father and son share ownership with “mom” Christine.

(USTA and PHHA)