The Sebastian K S-By A Neck Hanover gelding Benjamin Hanover continued his winning ways in the $21,918 Winners Over Handicap Trot at a cool Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday, Dec. 21, bagging his fourth consecutive victory while again rising in class.
He was assigned post five after winning three races in a row at lower levels, while Little Expensive, who had two wins and a second at this top class, got post six in the event handicapped by earnings in the last four starts. The latter was sent off as the 3-5 favourite; Benjamin Hanover had an 8-5 billing.
Tim Tetrick, the track’s top driver, got enough gate speed out of Benjamin Hanover to secure a two-hole trip behind the speedy Little Expensive (Tyler Miller). That one went soft early fractions of :29 and :58.1, then tried to bottom out the opposition by hitting the three-quarters in 1:25.2. But Benjamin Hanover stayed tight, moved out approaching headstretch, and gradually wore down the chalk to win by three parts of a length in 1:54.1 for trainer Scott Di Domenico, who is second in the local standings, and owner Angela Cornell. Street Gossip (Austin Siegelman) finished third.
The five-year-old Benjamin Hanover has been a high-percentage trotter throughout his 51 lifetime starts. He posted his 10th tally in 19 seasonal outings and the 29th of his career. He returned $5.40.
The Tetrick/Di Domenico combination also captured the $17,808 fast-class conditioned pace with another horse stepping up and taking his fourth win in a row, the Shadow Play-Lets Go Cullen gelding Jacks Shadow N. The native Kiwi was double-jumping in class and was stuck with the outermost post — both potential reasons for his 16-1 price tag. Nonetheless, Jacks Shadow N sat fifth through :26.3 and :56.1 early fractions, caught the lively cover of Its In The Stars (Corey Callahan) midway down the backstretch en route to three-quarters in 1:24.3, then outpaced him to the wire by a quarter-length in 1:52.4, pacing his own back half in :55.2. Its In The Stars was second over Leonidas A (Siegelman).
Di Domenico conditions Jacks Shadow N, a 51-time career winner in 192 starts, for his Triple D Stables Inc., Oompa’s Farm Inc., and Robert Mondillo. The 11-year-old is now eight-for-24 this season. He paid $34.20 to win.
Tetrick completed a sweep of the features with Lochlan Hanover, taking an $18,493 conditioned pace for developing horses in 1:53.3. The sophomore son of Captaintreacherous-Lady Dale was third through the early splits of :27.4 and :57, pulled from third and went up uncovered in a :27.3 third quarter to edge ahead on the far turn, then had to dig in to withstand a big late rush from Tito N Cheddar (Callahan), taking the decision by a half-length. Goodbye Stranger (Jack Pelling) completed the top three.
Lochlan Hanover, trained by Enrico Robinson for Pollack Racing LLC, is now four-for-26 lifetime and three-for-19 this year. His win price was $3.40.
Tetrick also took the 15th-race finale to earn the day’s honours by one win over Ridge Warren.
Harrah’s Philadelphia has a special Christmas Eve card of live racing on Wednesday starting at noon. It was on Christmas Eve last year that Philly held the last race of the day worldwide and set an all-time track handle record of $1,587,638. The Pick 5 was unsolved on Sunday and will be carrying over $4470.16 into the wager on Wednesday’s Races 5 through 9. Track management has upped the ante and guaranteed a $20,000 pool in the Wednesday Pick 5.
(With files from Harrah's Philadelphia; photo of Benjamin Hanover winning on Feb. 4)