As has been the case overall for the last couple of years, Tim Tetrick had the hot driving hands at Harrah’s Philadelphia during the morning qualifying session, bringing home five of the nine winners on Tuesday, May 5 including North America Cup eligible PA Luke.

The Papi Rob Hanover-Ravishnmasterpiece colt PA Luke just appeared in Standardbred Canada's coverage tracking North America Cup eligibles as one of three contenders that had not started yet in 2026 as of Monday. That was taken care of on Tuesday, as Tetrick piloted the Breeders Crown finalist to a 1:54.1 mile, fastest of the morning. The Robert Cleary trainee took command past the quarter, then blitzed home in :54.3 and :27.1 to win by 17-1/2 lengths, and off that speed, the sophomore colt owned by Celtic Racing of East Windsor, New Jersey may have a date north of the border in a month or so.

The Captain Crunch-Geothermal filly Gauntlet, victorious in Kentucky's Wildcat Series last year, came from fifth at the half and smoked her back half in :56.2 to get home first in 1:56.4 for driver Bradley Chisholm, trainer Brett Pelling and Diamond Creek Racing while edging the Cleary-trained sophomore filly Stormy by a half length.

In this period of watching for sophomores getting ready for their stakes, two three-year-old trotters were winners, one handled by Tetrick. That one would be Captain Jordan, a Captain Corey-Jordan Blue Chip colt who at two won in the Simpson and Standardbred stakes and was second to Apex in the New Jersey Classic. The Scott DiDomenico trainee, sometimes with behaviour complexities, had no such deportment problems here, coming out of the pocket in :58.2 and :29 to win in 1:59.1 for Joe Faraldo and Triple D Stables.

Captain Corey had another siring success story with the filly Show Pony, a Maryland Race Fund winner at two who toyed with a short field in 2:01 for driver Corey Callahan and owner/trainer Richard Hans.

All of the other Tuesday Philly winners were older stock, including the day’s fastest trotter, Frontier Macho, home in 1:58.1 for Tetrick, trainer Chuck Crissman Jr., and Elite Harness Racing. In addition to the winners he guided for conditioners Cleary, Di Domenico, and Crissman as mentioned, Tetrick triumphed twice with Joe Bongiorno trainees Glowing Lou and Captain Batboy, both clocking 1:55.1 miles.

(With files from PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia)