“Captain” Corey Callahan drove the 8,000th winner of his illustrious career on Friday afternoon, May 2 at Harrah’s Philadelphia, guiding I See A Star to a 1:56.1 victory in an $18,750 trotting contest for developing horses.
Callahan settled the four-year-old Bar Hopping-Take It Off Girl mare, the choice of the Friday Philly crowd, in fourth early and sat there during fractions of :28.2 and :57.4, then moved out to follow the cover of second choice Herecomesdajudge (Tyler Miller), who was advancing towards the 1:26.1 three-quarters. Herecomesdajudge put in bad steps on the far turn, leaving Callahan and I See A Star uncovered but with a clear path to the front, and the pair won safely for trainer/owner Brian Emerson, with Herecomesdajudge regaining his equilibrium and closing well to regain second. The Brodster (Andrew McCarthy), who was on the front end most of the way, rounded out the top three.
Callahan, 47, had seasonal highs in 2015, when he won 636 races and guided horses to earnings of more than $9.85 million. “The Captain,” currently fifth in wins on the local scene and tied for third at Harrington Raceway, has been consistent for the better part of two decades now. His lifetime earnings stand at $119.1 million.
Callahan achieved his milestone triumph in the co-feature of the afternoon; the headliner was a $19,444 event for trotters one step above that group on the class ladder. In that contest, Little Expensive left to command from the outermost post for driver Tyler Miller and got early pedestrian fractions of :29 and :58.4, with major rival Frank Leahy (David Miller) in the pocket. The two-holer likely got “bottomed out” as the victorious Muscle Hill-Seviyorum gelding unleashed a :26.4 third quarter to the 1:25.3 third pole, then continued out to an open-length victory in 1:54.2. Julie Miller trains the five-year-old gelding for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc., Jean Goehlen and VIP Internet Stable.
George Napolitano Jr. widened his lead atop the Philly driver standings by guiding four horses back to Victory Lane on Friday.
There will be a special live Kentucky Derby Day card of Standardbred racing on Saturday, with first post at noon. Patrons can of course stay and watch and wager on the big runners race from Kentucky early in the evening. Philly will then close out its racing week on Sunday at 12:40 p.m.
(With files from Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association/Harrah's Philadelphia; photo of Corey Callahan being congratulated on his career milestone by Mike Harant, Executive Director of the PHHA, in the winner's circle)