A variety of feature-level events showcased a wide array of talent on Thursday (May 29) afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
The $18,493 featured trot for developing horses saw a fierce three-way stretch duel go to the Bar Hopping sophomore gelding Cheers Hanover, as he lowered his mark to 1:53.2. David Miller positioned his charge third early as early leader Excalibur Bi yielded to favoured Hillookin past the :28 quarter, and that trio sat 1-2-3 through the middle splits of :57 and 1:25.2, with nobody from behind them getting in the picture.
Midway on the far turn, Excalibur Bi vacated the two-hole to challenge the leader, giving Cheers Hanover and Miller the room they needed up the inside. Fifty yards out any of the three looked in position to take it all, but where it counts Cheers Hanover just managed to catch Hillookin by a nose, with Excalibur Bi battling on to miss taking it all by a neck. Cheers Hanover (the biggest-priced winner of the day at $14.20) is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jim Simpson, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.
Although just coming up shy with Hilllookin in the feature, the Trond Smedshammer barn and owner Purple Haze Stables LLC did nothing else wrong, finishing with three wins and a second, with Trond handling both winners of the two of four $16,438 subfeature events devoted to trotters, both with sophomore fillies.
The faster of those two was the Cantab Hall miss Tabdone, a close second choice to favoured Honolulu Hanover (and the only Smedshammer non-chalk of the day), who sat in the golden chair behind that one then trotted smartly up the inside to reduce her mark to 1:54.2 in defeating the temposetter by 1-1/2 lengths. Smedshammer’s other win in this class was notched by the Gimpanzee diamondgaiter Winnpanzee, who’s now taken two straight after storming home from sixth at the three quarters, going her own final fraction in 27.3 to win by 1-1/2 lengths over pacesetting Messenger Hanover, who photoed Hatfield for second.
Smedshammer, who also put a maiden mark of 1:56.3 on the Chapter Seven filly Shonda for Purple Haze, vaulted to the meet lead in training victories, having won thirteen times already – and here’s his entire Philly training stat line: 22-13-6-1-.758!
The three-year-old Always B Miki filly Found, full sister to 2023 Horse of the Year Confederate and coming off a 1:49.2 seasonal debut, did not have to go that much to win her second straight in the subclass’s division for distaff pacers, but she was certainly still impressive in a 1:52.1 mile. Jack Pelling moved the talented miss out of fourth midbackstretch to go after Lyons Benz, who had gotten a soft half on the lead, and Found went successive back quarters while raw of :27.2 and then :27.1 to catch a resilient Lyons Benz by three quarters of a length. Brett Pelling trains the stakes (and broodmare) hopeful for Diamond Creek Racing.
The male pacers subfeature went to Odds On Wildfire, who fronted the field throughout en route to an 2½ length win in 1:52, coming home with a pair of :27.4 quarters. Geovany Hernandez, a provisional driver, also trains and owns the hot Bettors Wish three-year-old gelding, who has put away earlier behavioral problems during his streak.
Eurobond pushed his career earnings to $850,073 with his 49th career victory, a 1:54 tally in the $15,068 fast-class trot. Now a winner of two straight and three of his last four, the veteran son of Love You was sent right to the lead by driver Andrew McCarthy, and despite drifting out a bit in the lane Eurobond remained game to win by a half length over Canadian invader Djimon for trainer Per Engblom and Morrison Racing Stables.
Smedshammer wasn't the only one who had a big afternoon at Philly: Todd McCarthy topped the colony with five driving triumphs, two of them for trainer Jill Roland, the only conditioner with multiple wins besides Trond.
Pacing distaffs on the ascendancy of the class ladder will be highlighted on Friday’s (May 30) 12:25 p.m. program at Philly, with $14,000 USD and $12,000 USD events showcasing these fillies and mares who hope to be on their way to better things. The racing week will then close Sunday (June 1) with a 12:40 p.m. card.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia; photo of Cheers Hanover from a previous win on June 30, 2024)