The start of the stakes season for two-year-olds is swiftly approaching, and thus some talented juveniles were out for preparatory action at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Tuesday morning (June 23).
On the pacing side, driver Allan Davis and trainer Mike Hall shared honours with driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr., as both duos had two filly wins and a colt victory. Davis/Hall had the fastest winner on each sex, with 1:56.2 miles; the first come with the Always B Miki--Barbuda Babe gelding Grand Cayman. The bay had made a break in his first outing, but minded his manners on Tuesday and produced a 1:56.2, wire-to-wire win with a :28 final quarter. Hall co-owns the freshman with CTC Stable and Howard Taylor.
King/Tetrick kept pace among the males with the Sweet Lou--Aries Angel colt Sweet Angel Boy, who kicked home in :27.4 en route to a 2:00 tally for owner Jo Ann Looney-King.
Fastest among the fillies on the 'sidewheeling' gait was the Somebeachsomewhere--Arrivista Hanover miss Waterboard, who used two moves to record a 1:56.2 victory for Davis/Hall (the latter of which co-owns with Let It Ride Stables Inc. and CTC Stable). Hall and CTC teamed up for a third two-year-old win with the Roll With Joe--Grizzly Mama miss Roll On Mama, who moved to the lead in the front of the stands and went on to a 1:57 victory, with back fractions of :56.3 and :28.1 under Davis’ tutelage.
Tetrick/King countered; first with the Somebeachsomewhere--Bettor Than Silk filly Lyons Softassilk, who closed from far back in :27.2 to win in 1:57.1 for Threelyonsracing; and then with 1:56.2 winner Sniper Hanover, a daughter of Captaintreacherous--Snippet Hanover who became the only 'baby' of the day to post a second qualifying win. Jo Ann Looney-King co-owns Sniper Hanover with Tim Tetrick LLC.
Jim Campbell's stable finished first in both races for young trotting males, and it was Jeremy Morrison that guided both two-year-olds to their victories. Take All Comers, a Creatine--Nantab colt, went wire-to-wire in a 1:58.3 win for Runthetable Stables; while the Muscle Hill--Cocktail Hour colt Cricket Fashion raced behind slow fractions before coming on to win in 2:05 for Fashion Farms LLC.
The fastest two-year-old trotting filly of the session was the Explosive Matter--La Boheme miss Lexa Hanover, who threw successive :29.1 back quarters for the 2:00.1 victory. Lexa Hanover was driven by Corey Callahan for trainer Steve LeBlanc and the partnership of LeBlanc Racing Inc., Douglas Johnson, and Glenn Dyke.
Final qualifying note: The Googoo Gaagaa sophomore trotting colt Yall Beneath Me was undefeated in seven Maryland stakes starts at two -- by a combined margin of 133 and three-quarter lengths, or an average of just over 19 lengths per race. Yall Beneath Me won at first asking at three (during the qualifying session) for driver Russell Foster and owner/trainer Richard Hans – but was 'only' 11 and a half lengths clear of the field at the end of his 1:57.2 victory.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)