The first two-year-old qualifiers of 2024 at Harrah’s Philadelphia were held on Tuesday morning, June 4.
Early caution was the watchword of the day, with only two of the six races beating :32.2 to the quarter and a like amount reaching the half in less than 1:05, but the babies showed talent in the latter stages.
The freshmen of driver/trainer Eddie Dennis all came out ready to go as they won three races, including both sections of the two-year-old colt trot. Those winners were Blue Patrol, a Cantab Hall-Blue Yonder colt who set the pace and came home in 1:00 and :29.2 to complete a 2:05 tally for Mulligan Stables and Jason L Johnson Inc., and Owls Nest, a Bar Hopping-Bring Your Best colt who trotted his last panel in :29 to win in 2:08.3 for E&K Stable Inc.
The other Dennis winner was the Tall Dark Stranger-Eloquent Grace colt Enrique Hanover, who dashed home in :28.3 to stop the timer in 2:08 for owner Roy Parker Jr. in the only event for pacing males.
The familiar combination of driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr. hooked up to win both pacing filly events in by far the fastest clockings of the session. Royally Hot, a Bettors Wish-Mcsauma miss, came out of the pocket in :59.1 and :29.2 to win in 2:02.1 for Tim Tetrick LLC; just a tick behind her stablemate was the Papi Rob Hanover-Paulas Best filly Pilar Hanover, who came from third at the three-quarters and sped her own last fraction in :28.1 for owners Jo-Ann Looney King and Jon Paton.
Capturing the one race for trotting misses was Britta Pillar (no known relation to Pilar Hanover), a front-end winner who stepped home in 1:00 and :29.4 to complete her 2:06.3 journey. The Father Patrick-Giant Clash filly was driven by Wayne Long for trainer Joyce Lineweaver and owner Eli Byler.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)