Anoka Hanover, the Dan Patch Award winner among two-year-old trotting fillies in 2020, equalled the 1:52.3 Harrah’s Philadelphia track record for three-year-old trotting fillies in her division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on Friday afternoon (May 21).
Anoka Hanover was fifth through a :56.3 half, which was controlled by Mazzarati. When Todd McCarthy then asked to go, she responded with an individual third split of :27 to get within a neck of the lead. Anoka Hanover just kept eating up racetrack in a :27.3 last quarter, going on to a 3-1/4 length victory over Mazzarati while tying the track standard set by Whose Blues last year.
A winner of 10 of 14 at two including several classic events, Anoka Hanover raised her lifetime bankroll to $612,080. Trainer Noel Daley shares ownership of the Donato Hanover filly with Caviart Farms, Crawford Farms Racing and L A Express Stable.
Anoka Hanover rewarded the public’s 2-5 belief in her; the other two Sire Stakes sections saw upsets.
The Andover Hall filly Love Muffin trotted gamely to defeat early-season sensation and favourite Bella Bellini at 6-1 by three-quarters of a length in a new mark of 1:52.4 for driver Andy Miller and trainer Julie Miller.
You Ato Dream, one of 2020’s “bridesmaids” with one win and seven second-place finishes, won her division at 13-1 while equalling her mark of 1:54.2 in line to trainer-driver Jeff Gregory and giving her sire, Donato Hanover, a second PASS siring credit.
Andy McCarthy drove three of the five Stallion Series winners, including Piper Hanover (1:54.1), My Abigail (1:56.1) and Wixx Hanover (1:55.3). Dazzling Reign (1:56.4, Todd McCarthy) and 19-1 upsetter Evening Stroll (1:54.2, Marcus Miller) won the other divisions.
Racing at Harrah's Philadelphia returns Sunday (May 23) at 12:40 p.m. Program pages will be available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)