The John Simpson Memorial events for three-year-old colts — the Ayres for trotters and the Albatross for pacers — were each conducted in three $33,067 divisions on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 28) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Driver David Miller won two of the Albatross divisions with sons of Sweet Lou, teaming up with Tru Lou and Tito Rocks, both of whom recently recorded wins in the Liberty Bell stakes series.
Tru Lou made the front past the quarter and withstood stablemate Warrawee Veloce by 1-3/4 lengths to win in 1:50.2 for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Slaughter Racing Stable.
Tito Rocks, dispatched the second choice in his division, rode the two-hole and chased down pacesetting Patriot Nation by a half length at the end of a 1:51.3 mile. Robert Cleary trains the Royal Wire Products Inc.
The third Albatross winner was the American Ideal colt Ideal Perception, who angled out of the pocket to take the lead in the stretch and then withstood the gritty first-over favourite Diamond Head by a neck in 1:51.4. George Napolitano Jr. drove the Andrew Harris trainee for the S S G Stables.
Trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt accounted for the fastest of the three winners of the Ayres, as the Cash Hall gelding Coventry Hall dashed out to early command and widened his advantage throughout the last half, reaching the finish seven lengths in front and taking a new speed badge of 1:52.4 for Enghavegaard Aalborg APS.
Svanstedt also was responsible for the biggest surprise in the day’s stakes, as 12-1 shot Harley K rallied up the inside to catch favourite Rome Pays Off in 1:54.3. The altered son of Sebastian K S is owned by Knutsson Trotting Inc., Little E LLC and Kenneth Kjellgren.
Driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Nancy Takter teamed up with the Andover Hall gelding Paulie Walnuts to take the other Ayres division in a new mark of 1:53.1. Howard Taylor’s sophomore earned his second win in his last three outings.
The undercard was buoyed by a $14,400 distaff handicap pace, taken by Shes Pukka N and driver Tony Morgan in 1:51.3. The Betterthancheddar mare sat a perfect pocket trip and rallied inside the pacesetting Eclipse Me N to catch her by a half length. Shes Pukka N is trained by Brian Malone for owner Peter Paul Venturini.
(with files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)