My Girl EJ ensured her continued place in the discussion among top three-year-old pacing fillies with a 1:51 victory in one of three third round prelims, totalling $203,596 in purses, of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) on Sunday afternoon, June 30 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
My Girl EJ took her time working her way to the front, taking command past 2023 divisional winner Geocentric late on the first turn towards a :26.4 quarter, with Rocket Deo, the only winner in both of the PASS prelims to date, settling third. They went that away around the track, with the winning daughter of Sweet Lou getting a big breather to the :56.1 half and then sending away outside pressure past a 1:24 three-quarters.
Geocentric ducked to the passing lane and Rocket Deo could finally angle wide before mid-stretch, but Dexter Dunn took one look around and saw his filly was safe with a :27 last quarter in her. Geocentric was second, a length behind the winner and a neck ahead of fast-closing Rocket Deo. But they weren’t catching My Girl EJ as she boosted her lifetime earnings to $864,430 and won her second Sire Stakes race this year for trainer Ron Burke and the ownership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC along with Elizabeth Novak.
The 1:51 time was actually the slowest of the three Sire Stakes divisions; the fastest clocking was the 1:49.3 lifetime mark posted by another filly guided by Dunn, the Captaintreacherous filly Flawless. The Nancy Takter trainee was wide early and moved along to command at the :26.2 quarter, continued on sharply with mid-splits of :54.3 and 1:21.4, with first-over Reigning Jade making a big bid to the latter station until going off stride, and then finished out 2-1/2 lengths clear of Asweetbeachhere, who and had photoed out the winner last week. Flawless has now won four of six this year for owners Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband.
The other Sire Stakes split went to the Always B Miki distaff Miki In Luv, who equalled her lifetime best of 1:50.4. Miki In Luv sat a pocket trip behind Miraculous Deo and fractions of :26.2, :55.1 and 1:22.3, then found room up the inside for driver David Miller and got past the pacesetter by a half length. The winner already has nine victories in her brief career, with Ron Coyne Jr. training her for his Ron Coyne Stables, Blair Corbeil and Richard and Farrell Carney.
Stay Hungry sired two of the three Stallion Series winners, including the quickest in Lyons Legend, home first in 1:51.3 for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim King Jr., and Threelyonsracing. The 10-time lifetime winner added her second Stallion Series victory of the campaign, joining Davenport and Parkavenuelisa (who was second in this race) with that distinction.
The other daughter of Stay Hungry winning in the Stallion Series was Ginger Tree Belle, a nose better than Foxy Hill while equalling her career best of 1:52.3 for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Steve Cook and the ownership of Sam Beegle, Ginger Tree Ventures LLC, Knollview Stables 2 and Bob Reber Jr.
Driver David Miller added a Stallion Series win to his Sire Stakes triumph by guiding the Heston Blue Chip filly Pressure Cooker up the far inside in winning in 1:53.1 for trainer Linda Toscano and Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing and Mac Nichol.
In the $19,178 fast-class handicap pace, the Million Dollar Cam gelding Pat McGarry A went a big first-over trip then held off last week’s feature winner Grand Cayman in 1:49.4. Driver Jack Pelling got a lot out of the winner of more than $355,000 for trainer Jenn Bongiorno and owner Howard Taylor.
Pearly Allen, Frank Tsipouras and Yogi Sheridan each won one of the three $10,274 divisions for the American Harness Drivers Club on the undercard of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes action Sunday.
In the first division, Pearly Allen converted a ground-saving trip with Fred’s Night to a 1:54.3 win as the second-longest shot on the board. Allen stalked a clip of :26.4, :56 and 1:24 carved by Cheyenne Ryan Lee (driven by Joe Lee) and waited until the stretch to pounce. Fred’s Night fired down the lane and notched a half-length win over pocket-sitter Hes Rockin Ralphie (Tony Beltrami) in second. Rock Idol (Yogi Sheridan), the 1-2 favourite, gained off a first-over grind for third and Cheyenne Ryan Lee faded to fourth.
Salvatore Sciarrino trains Fred’s Night, a nine-year-old gelding by Fred And Ginger, for owner Humpback Hill Farm LLC. He paid $80.80 to win.
Infinite Zette and Frank Tsipouras strolled down the road in the lone AHDC trotting division. Tsipouras coasted through splits of :27.4, :57.1 and 1:26.1 in progress to a 2-1/4-length win over pocket-sitter Gatsby (Steven Reisenweaver). Love This Bar (Bruce Baker), the 7-5 favourite, survived a parked trip for third and Puddin N Pie (Joe Lee) gave chase in fourth.
Frank Tsipouras trains Infinite Zette, a six-year-old gelding by Credit Winner, for owner Alexandra Ulrich. He paid $7.20 to win.
Yogi Sheridan later applied similar speed tactics to romp with Major Makover in the second AHDC pacing division. Sheridan launched for the lead out of post seven and gradually drew away from his competition through fractions of :27.2, :56 and 1:24.1. Major Makover sustained a wide lead through the stretch and stopped the clock in 1:53.4, 7-3/4 lengths ahead of Tony N Rock (Joe Lee) closing for second. Pocket-chaser Transfer The Era (Tony Beltrami) finished third and Wilsons Vinner (Raymond Burt) slid into fourth.
Izzy Estrada trains Major Makover, a six-year-old gelding by Art Major, for Estrada Racing LLC. He paid $2.60 to win.
AHDC action is scheduled to resume at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday (July 7).
Wednesdays are added back to the basic racing schedule this week, with 12:25 p.m. programs on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 12:40 p.m. programs on Sundays (having said that, the holiday Fourth Of July Thursday card will begin at 12:40 p.m.). Free Philly programs will be available at phha.org.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia / AHDC)