A trio of $16,000 races for up-and-coming younger stock took the Friday afternoon spotlight at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with one division for pacing distaffs and the other two open events for trotters.
On the pace, sire Sweet Lou posted a 1-2 finish as Sweet Cherry outpaced Sweet Chrome through the lane by 1-1/4 lengths while taking a lifetime mark of 1:52.2. Tim Tetrick, who continued his recent hot streak here with three Friday victories to give him thirteen for the trio of cards so far this week, drove the sophomore for trainer Jim King Jr. and the ownership combine of Tim Tetrick LLC and Jo Ann Looney-King.
Tetrick also drove the faster of the two trotting headliners, with the sophomore Cantab Hall gelding Macmorris Hanover reducing his mark to 1:54.1 for trainer Bob Baggitt Jr. and the partnership of Ben Mudry, Doug Millard, Tim Murray, and Howard Taylor. Macmorris Hanover made an early move past Lapped By Lindy, then maintained the advantage to the wire, finally defeating that adversary by 2-1/4 lengths.
Klutzy had suffered a tailoff in form since he won in this company here on May 3, but he brought his “A” game to the track today in winning the other trot headliner to complete a sweep for sire Cantab Hall. The sophomore colt got away second behind favoured Navarone Hanover, moved to the lead in front of the stands, kept out second choice Amador and his long first-over bid, then held off the resurgent Navarone Hanover by three-quarters of a length. The 1:55.3 clocking was just a tick shy of his lifetime record, taken in that May 3 race. Andy Miller guided the colt for trainer/wife Julie and owners Stroy, Inc.
A $14,500 pace for fast-class pacing mares went to the A Rocknroll Dance distaff Scuola Hanover. Driver Art Stafford Jr. waited until almost the three-quarters to challenge favoured pacesetter Bettor Trix N, then took the measure of that one late by a half length in 1:51, just a fifth from her lifetime best. Andrew Stafford trains and co-owns the winner of $256,328 with Arthur Stafford Sr. and Thomas Ireland.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)