The two-year-olds returned to Harrah’s Philadelphia 15 races strong for a Tuesday, June 16 baby qualifier section. Pacers of both sexes came together for five races each; with the first pari-mutuel trotting two-year-olds on the Philly card this Thursday, there were two events for colts and three for fillies.
Lindy On The Wall, an altered son of International Moni-Dancin On The Wall, looks like he’s ready to take on tough opposition right now, as on Tuesday he put in an impressive 1:56.4 mile to take the fastest freshman trot of the day. A winner from the pocket in 2:01 with a :28.3 finale last week with trainer Eddie Dennis in the sulky, this week the driving fell to Andrew McCarthy and he put the youngster right on the lead, coming home in a last half of :57.2 and last quarter of :28.2 for owners E & K Stable, William Mears and Roy Parker Jr. The gelding was bred by K R Breeding.
Andrew McCarthy also drove the fastest freshman filly trotter (in fact, he had a win in both sections of the pace, too), with the Captain Corey-All Along miss with the amusing name of Check Ur Ego Amigo coming home in 1:59.4. The Nicklas Andersen-trained baby, owned by Concord Stud Farm, came out of the pocket to the lead down the backstretch and finished out nicely in back half fractions of :58.3 and :29.
You go over to the pacing side, but there’s McCarthy again, driving the fastest male to have success, Whass Up Cap, a Captaintreacherous-Southwind Serenity gelding, who had not only the fastest mile clocking, 1:56.2, but also the individual quickest last half among the males, :56.3, in winning for trainer Andrew Stafford and Tribbett Racing.
The unifying force among the quickest pacers by sex was sire Captaintreacherous, as he also was the father of filly Lindy Believer (dam Believe Its Lindy), who was the fastest of all the Tuesday morning freshmen with a sparkling time of 1:55.4, flashing the afterburners with back half fractions of :55 and :27.2 in the engine victory. Jason Bartlett sulkysat the filly bred by Lindy Farms Of Conn for trainer Petter Engblom and the partnership of Engblom Farms, R A W Equine, Evans Nation and Hickory Hollow Stables. All five filly divisions, and four of the colts, were clocked in sub-2:00 time.
Andrew McCarthy was tops driving five successful babies, while Nancy Takter sent out three success stories.
Most of the area ovals are starting to card the freshmen in overnight races, and the Pennsylvania stakes season, both Sire Stakes & Stallion Series and Fair Sire Stakes, have Opening Day as July 1.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)