U.S. Hall of Fame horseman Chris Ryder took his 2,000th training win in North America since USTA statistics began in 1991, with his son Patrick driving Chris’ own Piano Man to a maiden win at Harrah's Philadelphia on Thursday, June 11.
The Bettors Wish-Susurrus Hanover sophomore gelding prevailed by a head in 1:53.4 in the day’s opener, holding off Ready To Hunt (Simon Allard) and How You Brewin (Corey Callahan) in the conditioned event for younger horses. Piano Man took his first win in his fourth career start.
Chris Ryder, a native of New Zealand, is currently training two of the free-for-all pacing mares’ toughest individuals: 2024 U.S. Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh and double Dan Patch Award winner Miki And Minnie, who will face off in the Roses Are Red final at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday. It would take many more lines to name all of the good horses that have benefitted from the direction of Ryder over the last three-plus decades. The 2025 U.S. Hall of Fame inductee holds a career record of 2,000-for-12,012 and has won eight Breeders Crowns.
Simon Allard had a very big day on Thursday, reaching the wire first five times on the 14-race program, including with Howlingatthemoon Dk ($14.40) in the $15,972 fast-class conditioned sub-feature trot. The seven-year-old Cantab Hall-Nobodybeatsthebeat gelding overcame the outermost post seven, trotting his mile in 1:52.3 to lower his lifetime mark by three seconds. Allard took control early with the diamondgaiter, went :27.3 to the quarter then got a “cheap half” of :57. The breather allowed the Danish-bred to go the three quarters in 1:24.2 and still have enough to defeat closing chalk Geronimo Trio It (Andrew McCarthy) by 1-3/4 lengths for trainer-owner Pat Lachance. Chamba (Mark Herschberger) was third.
Allard also won twice for Mark Akins, piloting winners Nopewasntme ($4.40) and Barstool Beauty ($7.40) for the trainer, and got his other wins with Fifty Ways ($3.80) and Muscledover ($8.20). He is 80-for-520 this season and sits second in the Philly standings with 45 local scores, 11 behind Tim Tetrick.
In the featured $18,056 conditioned handicap event, the Joke Face-Croix Dam 10-year-old gelding Ultion Face S came within a fifth of his lifetime mark when he was victorious in 1:52.2 over Shoresy, giving trainer Per Engblom a one-two sweep in the top trot. Mark Herschberger got the winner to the front quickly and then the 3-5 shot yielded to even-money second choice Shoresy (Andrew McCarthy) just past the :27.2 quarter. Ultion Face S could follow right along behind fractions of :56.2 and 1:24, as no outer flow made an impact. Herschberger took the greybeard outside at the top of the lane, and Ultion Face S and worked past his stablemate by a half-length. B Mo (Jonathan Ahle) was third.
Ultion Face S won for Engblom Farm LLC and Jesper Bjorn Arvenberg. The career winner of $490,301 has 20 wins in 103 starts. He returned $3.40.
Best in a $16,667 conditioned trot for up-and-coming horses was the four-year-old Greenshoe-A Gift For You gelding Abraham Hanover ($5.40), who went the wire-to-wire route. He covered the mile with fractions of :28.4, :59, 1:27 and 1:55.2, holding off first-over favourite Yardbird (Patrick Ryder) by 1-1/4 lengths while knocking a second off his lifetime best. Wildwood Hanover (Russell Foster) finished third. Andrew McCarthy handled sulky duty behind the winner for trainer Stacy Chiodo and owner Gunjan Patel.
Troy Beyer continues to be the hero of the local longshot players after bringing home Blue Cupertino at a mutuel of $91.40. It was Beyer’s fourth $50+ “bomber” at the meet; no other driver has more than one.
Driver Corey Callahan had a double, as did trainer Joe Columbo.
The racing week at Harrah’s Philadelphia continues on Friday at 12:25 p.m., with pacing distaffs making up the featured races. There will also be a carryover into the fifth-race Pick 5. Next week, two-year-olds are on the condition sheet.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)