Trotter Summit In Sight and pacer Love Me Some Lou completed a Simpson–Liberty Bell “stakes sweep” at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon, as three-year-old males of both gaits each raced in three $30,000 divisions. Also completing a “sweep” was side wheeling sire Sweet Lou, whose progeny captured all three of the pacing contests.
Love Me Some Lou was moved to the front early by driver George Napolitano, Jr. in his division of the pacing action, and the winner of $247,302 lifetime, most of all the afternoon’s stakes winners, went on to an easy 2-3/4 lengths victory in 1:51.3 over Brassy Hanover, who proved most photogenic in a three-way fight for second. The double stakes-winning colt, who went off as the public choice, is campaigned by the brother team of trainer Tom and owner John Cancelliere.
Fastest of the pacing winners was the gelding Pyro, who sat a nice two-hole trip behind pacesetting favourite Aflame Hanover, then burned by that one by 1-3/4 lengths while equalling is mark of 1:50.4. Yannick Gingras, who posted five Philly victories for the second straight Thursday (he also did well in Canada last weekend), drove the winner for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Lawrence Karr, and Phil Collura.
Tim Tetrick has been the hottest driver at Philly recently, adapting a horse’s racing style as needed, and never was this more in evidence than in his 1:51.3 victory with the gelding Crimson And Chrome.
In his 25 starts lifetime before today, the sophomore had never been better than fourth at the half, and had never had the lead except at the finish call, but here Tetrick got him to the front at the quarter over the speed-favouring oval and made every pole a winning one, thwarting the late rush of favoured Escapetothebeach by a length. Trainer Jim King, Jr., staring at what could be a big weekend north of the border, conditions the eight-time winner for Tim Tetrick LLC.
The chalk was perfect in the three trotting divisions, and Muscle Hill sired two of the three winners.
Summit In Sight completed the local stakes double with an engine victory in 1:55.2, with the colt staying two lengths ahead of pocket sitter Stonebridge Symba at the wire for driver Andy Miller, trainer/wife Julie Miller, and the ownership of Stroy Inc and the Andy Miller Stable Inc.
Muscle Hill doubled up with the colt Night Hall, who was winning for the third time in his last four starts after going 0-for-10 in his two seasons at the track before his fortunes turned around. Trainer/driver Åke Svanstedt raced the developing youngster in the two-hole behind Macmorris Hanover, then moved out in the lane to catch that rival by a neck while equalling his mark of 1:54.3.
The Explosive Matter gelding Explosivebreakaway continued his stellar career form, now having nine victories and five seconds in but seventeen career starts after going to the front early and keeping two-hole-sitter Mass Fortune K 1-1/2 lengths behind him at the finish in 1:54.2.
Tom Jackson drove the steady performer for trainer Fred Grant, who is also part of the management team with Janice Rubin, Steve Katz, and Murray Brown.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)