The Sebastian K S five-year-old gelding Benjamin Hanover, who set a divisional track record over the Harrah’s Philadelphia surface last season, returned to the southeast Pennsylvania oval on Thursday, May 8 and promptly posted a wire-to-wire 1:52.4 victory in the $20,833 fast-class handicap trot.

Four-time defending Philly driving champion Tim Tetrick had “Benjamin” boiling off the gate and quickly grabbed the racetrack, the favourite setting fractions of :27.4, :56.2, and 1:24.2, with second choice Golden Rain S (Andy McCarthy) sitting in the two-hole and third choice Once In A Lifetime (George Napolitano, Jr.) moving up to challenge uncovered late in the backstretch. But the biggest danger to Benjamin Hanover in the stretch was 79-1 shot Rivers (Corey Callahan), who angled wide for room and got to within a half length of the winner at the wire.

Benjamin Hanover, now 25-for-43 lifetime with earnings of $343,006, is trained by Scott DiDomenico for owner Angela Corelli, and he seems a possible contender for the $100,000 USD Maxie Lee Trot, one of three six-figure Invitationals for older performers set for Philly’s “Super Sunday” on May 26.

The “top winner” tag for the day in the horsemen’s colony has to go to Team Orange Crush: son Tyler drove three winners, mom Julie trained all three, and dad Andy owns a share in the trio of victors. Also red-hot were the Philly bettors, whose favourites won 11 of the 14 races, including eight in a row at one juncture.

Racing on Friday, May 9 starts at 12:25 p.m., with up-and-coming trotters in the spotlight; the card on Sunday, May 11 starts at 12:40 p.m. and will feature a mixture of developing and fast-class pacers. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at phha.org.

( PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia. Photo from previous race date.)