A trio of victorious three-year-olds with bright futures caught the eye on Friday (July 3) at Harrah's Philadelphia, including a 2019 O'Brien Award winner.
The Donato Hanover sophomore filly Dip Me Hanover, who was named Canada's two-year-old trotting filly of the year in 2019, took her first win of the 2020 campaign by emerging victorious in a three-ply stretch duel against her contemporary misses in a career-best 1:54.1. David Miller positioned the Linda Toscano trainee in the two-hole, sat behind front-end fighters Hannah (inside) and Iron Mine Diva (outside), then went to the inside and got the decision by a neck over the “Diva,” with Hannah right in the fight to the wire. Dip Me Hanover already has a career bankroll exceeding $310,000 for Camelot Stable Inc., Dreamville Stable, and R-And-I Farms LLC.
Another filly, the $500,000 yearling Fifty Cent Piece, has now won half of her six career starts after fronting her field in a 1:55.4 triumph, taking a new mark. The Muscle Hill miss went her last quarter in :27.4 and withstood stubborn challenger Arclight Hanover for driver Mattias Melander, trainer/brother Marcus Melander, and the S R F Stable.
The Captaintreacherous colt Force N Fury, winner of his Kindergarten Series Final last season, didn’t let things like making his first start of the year and having to go first-up hinder him from an eye-opening 1:51.1 win for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Tony Alagna (who harnessed three winners, each handled by different drivers), and the ownership of Marvin Katz, Brad Grant, and Al Libfeld.
The favourites looked ready to pounce off cover in the $12,800 featured trot, but the temperature in the 90s had been favouring speed horses and not being kind to closers. Such was the case here when pocketsitter Remarkable De Vie came up the inside to catch pacesetter With Out A Doubt in 1:56.4.
With Out A Doubt had claimed the lead before the :28.4 quarter, with driver George Napolitano Jr. (a six-time winner on the day) settling the Charlie De Vie gelding Remarkable De Vie on his back. Trixar began a first-over move nearing the :58.4 half and battled the pacesetter to and past the 1:27.4 three-quarters, with favoured Heart N Soul Deo and second choice Loyal Fox Hanover second-over and third-over, respectively, and ready to take on the embattled leaders.
The chalk couldn’t mount enough stretch kick, however, and Remarkable De Vie came up the inside to just nab With Out A Doubt; Trixar held third ahead of the favourites. Clifton Green is the trainer of the winner for owner Steven Mullen.
One of the few off-the-pace winners during the entire warm week so far was IC A Free Spirit, who posted a $73.80 victory in rallying wide off a hot pace. Philly has now had four $50+ winners since its recent reopening – and trainer Adrian Wisher has two of them, Fox Valley Inferno at $51.00 before and now IC A Free Spirit.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)