Four $12,600 features highlighting developing trotters and pacers were in the spotlight on a hot Friday (June 17) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Nautical Hanover enjoyed class relief from Pennsylvania Sire Stakes company to take his division of the male pace in 1:50.3, his fastest victory ever. The Captaintreacherous three-year-old colt had to do it via the uncovered route, but Nautical Hanover came his own last half in :54.2 to impressively win for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Tony Alagna and the partnership of Brad Grant, VJ Stable, Jablonsky Head Stable, and In The Gym Partners.
In the other section for males, driver Trae Porter, trainer Jacob Hartline, and the ownership of Anatolia Racing LLC scored for the second time on the day, here with the Big Jim gelding Wheresjim, who was never behind while his lowering his mark (taken in a Woodbine Mohawk Park qualifier) by 6-3/5 seconds with a 1:52.2 clocking. The four-year-old won his career debut on August 15, 2020 at Hanover Raceway, then had to wait 30 races and 665 days for his next triumph, but he made the most of this opportunity.
The distaff pacers were led home by the Western Ideal three-year-old filly Idealinfun, who was reserved by driver Pat Berry just off a fast last-half battle between Sugar Bowl and Heavenly Angel, then got by both late to take a new lifetime mark of 1:52. Tom Shay conditions the winner for Bay Pond Racing Stable Inc.
A fast pace in the trotting feature helped set up the closing kick of the Andover Hill sophomore filly Newell Place, who came from last to win going away on the far outside in a new mark of 1:55 while returning an $80.00 win mutuel to her scattered backers. Troy Beyer guided the upsetter to victory for trainer John Calabrese and Calabrese Farms LLC.
In an $11,200 fast-class pace, seven-year-old Nutcracker Sweet, in the news since his earliest races, came with a fifth of a second of his lifetime mark by quarter-moving and then rolling on to a 1:50.2 victory. The winner of two straight saw his lifetime earnings go over half a million dollars with the success, with the number now $504,844 for trainer Tom and owner John Cancelliere. Corey Callahan drove him to the easy triumph.
The racing week will conclude on Sunday with a 12:40 first race starting time. Program pages are available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)