Trainer Noel Daley teamed up with driver Ron Pierce to win two of three $98,038 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes divisions for three-year-old trotting colts on Friday afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia
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The Daley double included victories by Andover Hall son Magic Tonight and Cantab Hall colt Beer Summit.
Magic Tonight rebounded off an interference break in his season's debut last weekend in the Simpson Stakes at Meadowlands Racetrack to win his PASS division by four lengths in a career-best 1:54. The heavy favourite was followed by Dandover (Tim Tetrick) and Go Tapaigh (Chip Noble). The winner returned $3.20 to his backers.
The lightly raced colt was bred by Ontarians Marvin Katz and Al Lidfeld and is owned by New York's Adam Victor And Son Stable. Magic Tonight banked over $100,000 last season thanks in part to back-to-back victories in the Bluegrass Series and International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile.
Fresh off a conditioning win in his season's debut on May 1 at Pocono Downs, Beer Summit also took a new mark of 1:54.1 winning his division by two and a quarter lengths over Frost Bites K (David Miller) and Overandovervictory (George Napolitano Jr.). The 5-2 second choice paid $7.40 to win.
Beer Summit banked $50,000 at two thanks in part to a victory in the Standardbred Stake at Delaware Ohio County Fair. He is owned by Sharlene Vanderkemp, Mirva Bogucki, and J And T Silva Stables LLC.
Making his season's debut, Purple Haze Stables' lightly raced Solvato won the fastest split in 1:53.2 for trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer. The Donato Hanover colt edged past favourite Top Billing (Andy Miller) at the wire for the career-best win while Not Afraid (Pierce) finished three lengths behind. The 7-2 third choice paid $9.60 to win. He now has three wins and one second in four lifetime starts.
All three winning colts are eligible to the $1.5 million Hambletonian.
In Open action, Lightning Stables' seven-year-old Western Ideal mare Lightning Treasure converted a pocket trip into a career-best 1:50 score in the $35,000 handicap pace for distaffers. Pierce drove for trainer Keith Armer. Pacesetter Fred And Ginger (Matt Kakaley) finished one length behind while Stacked Deck (George Napolitano Jr.) rounded out the top three. The 7-1 upsetter paid $16.60 to win. Lightning Treasure, a $736,519 earner, has won half of her eight seasonal starts, including two Blue Chip Matchmaker Series legs at Yonkers Raceway.
Julia Miller trainee Sevruga, of Howard Schneidler’s KDM Stables, established an outright track record for four-year-old trotting geldings, winning the $30,000 Winners Over Trot by three and three-quarter lengths over Aisling (David Miller) in 1:52.1. Andy Miller was in rein to the SJs Caviar gelding in what amounted to be the second-fastest trotting mile ever at Harrah’s Philadelphia. The 3-2 second choice paid $5.60 to win.