If you like three-year-old pacing fillies, then the place to be Thursday was Harrah’s Philadelphia as the oval hosted four divisions of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes.
Charisma Hanover was the quickest winner thanks to her 1:51.4 score for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke. Gingras hustled the daughter of Dragon Again-Caught The Bouquet to the lead from Post 6 and she successfully led the group through splits of :27.3, :56.1 and 1:23.4 before kicking home in a :28-second clip en route to the 1-1/4 length tally over Sweet Lady Jane in the $61,868 tilt. Third prize went to Handsoffmycupcake.
Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC own the youngster, who was sent off as the 1-5 favourite in the seven-filly affair. The career-best performance for the pacer helped bump her lifetime earnings to $134,321. She’s now 4-for-4 to begin the season after going 3-for-8 in her rookie year.
Somwherovrarainbow overcame early interference to win her $61,868 division in 1:52.1 for Team Teague. The Somebeachsomewhere-Rainbow Blue miss brushed to the front in the backstretch and fended off a late challenge from Offintothesunset en route to posting her first win of the season. Wherethegirlsare was third.
The 1:52.1 victory for the George Teague, Jr. trainee was the eighth of her career, and the lion’s share of the purse lifted her lifetime earnings to $557,980. Montrell Teague mapped out the winning trip for the homebred who is owned by George Teague Jr Inc, K And R Racing LLC and Ted Gewertz.
Live Entertainment sped to a career-best clocking of 1:52.1 in her PASS division for the tandem of Yannick Gingras and Jimmy Takter. The daughter of Real Artist-West Side Glory enjoyed a two-hole trip behind race favourite Champagne Tonight, who sliced out splits of :27.3, :57 and 1:24.1. Live Entertainment summoned up :27.4 closing speed to prevail by three-quarters of a length over Live Entertainment, with All Perfect rounding out the top three in the $61,868 affair.
The homebred, who is owned by Christina Takter of East Windsor, NJ and John Fielding of Toronto, ON, won for the second time this season and for the fourth time in her career. Her overall cash stash climbed to $143,341 with the win.
Nikki Beach kicked off her sophomore year with a 1:52.2 win in her PASS division for driver Ron Pierce and trainer Tony Alagna. After settling away third, the Somebeachsomewhere-Western Wisdom miss rushed to the front and threw down middle panels of :56.4 and 1:24.3 before sealing the deal with a :27.4 closing quarter. She was 1-1/2 lengths better than runner-up Mistresstothestars, with Woman Of Terror taking home third prize.
Sent off as the 4-5 choice, Nikki Beach won for the sixth time in her career while lifting her lifetime earnings to $291,689. She is owned by Brittany Farms of Versailles, KY.
On the undercard, Uncle Peter was a popular winner in a $30,000 trotting tilt for trainer Jimmy Takter. It was the first win of the season for the four-year-old son of Cantab Hall-Victory Treasure. David Miller engineered the winning trip for the speedy square gaiter, who defeated And Heez Perfect and Hes Spooky.
The 1:53.3 triumph was the first win of the season for the nine-time winner who is owned by Christina Takter, Brixton Medical AB, Goren Falk and John And Jim Fielding. The trotter is nearing $700,000 in lifetime earnings.