Trainer Polie Mallar continued on a roll with his two-year-old pacers during the Tuesday, June 17 morning qualifying session at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with three of his pupils winning (perhaps picking up on the fiery form of stablemate Ken Hanover), but even hotter was the combination of driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Scott DiDomenico, who linked up for victories with five first-time starters spread across the divisions.

The two-year-old pacing colt duo trained by Mallar were the only pair to push their records to two-for-two. The faster was the Stay Hungry-Rockingcam Park colt Rasaji Hanover, who led at every pole while winning in 1:55.4 with a :27.2 last quarter in rein to driver David Miller. Mallar also co-owns the freshman, a $69,444 Standardbred Horse Sale yearling purchase bred by Hanover Shoe Farms with Patrick Leavitt, William Jordan and Thaddeus Wier. 

His stablemate, American Road Trip (Captaintreacherous-American Sara), also never looked back in a 1:57.3 score, with a :28.3 final frame, under the guidance of Andrew McCarthy.

Other baby pacing colt winners were Papi Rick (Papi Rob Hanover-Odds On Pussycat), who won in 1:57.2 with a :27.4 last quarter for driver McCarthy and trainer Noel Daley, and Toby Ornot Toby, a colt by Tall Dark Stranger-Mackie Hanover who fronted his field in 1:57.3 with a :28 closing quarter for Team Tetrick/DiDomenico. These two were first-time starters.

Tetrick/DiDomenico were the braintrust between the two quickest pacing fillies, the swifter of which was Call Me Angelita (Papi Rob Hanover-Angels Pride), who was still six lengths out at the three-quarters but roared home to be first in 1:58.3, with her back numbers in :55.1 and :26.3, for Triple D And Oompa Farm, Michael Rekoon, Craig Henderson and Steve Stewart. 

The hot driver/trainer combo also clicked with the Huntsville-Yellow Diamond filly Odds On Enigma, winning in 1:59.2 with a :28 final frame.

Mallar also had a winner in this group, the Courtly Choice-Jungle Genie N distaff Miss Genie Man, overcoming first-over with a :27.2 kicker to score in 1:59.4 for driver David Miller. Mallar had the only three winners of the day who raced last week and this filly posted her first win here. Completing the winners in this group was the 2:01.1 success story Oahu (Perfect Sting-St Kitts), with a :28.4 last quarter in rein to her trainer, Aaron Lambert.

 The Tetrick/DiDomenico partnership swept the two events for baby trotting males, with the faster time of 2:01.1 off back half panels of :58.2 and :28.4 rung up by the Captain Corey-Melania colt Jim Beam for owner Allen Wenc. The colt bred by Pheasant Hill Farm was a $90,278 yearling purchase at the Harrisburg sale.

The driver and trainer also succeeded with the International Moni-Honorable Daughter colt An Honest Buck, coming out of the pocket to triumph in 2:02.1 with back fractions of :58.2 and :29.

The trotting fillies also went gateward in two contests, with Tetrick driving the winner of both, giving him seven victories with babies for the early session. The Tactical Landing-Lima Novelty miss Abbey Blue Chip went the quicker mile, wiring her opposition in 2:01.2, home in :29, for trainer Ron Coyne Jr., with his Ron Coyne Stables Inc. sharing ownership with Blair Corbeil, Edward Pachuta and Richard Carney. 

Also a baby filly winner was the royally-bred Broadway Jade (Greenshoe-Broadway Schooner), a Jim Campbell trainee who stopped the clock in 2:02.4.

(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)