Pilar Hanover, on the board in all four of her initial 2025 starts, was quite impressive in finally reaching this year’s win column, winning a $19,178 handicap pace for up-and-coming female pacers at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday, July 4 while lowering her mark to 1:51.1.
Corey Callahan, top driver on the day at the southeast Pennsylvania oval with four sulky successes, had a simple strategy: take Pilar Hanover to the front and don’t let anyone else go. The pair reached the top before a :26.3 first split, then would not yield to parked challenger Strutsville (Troy Beyer), who raced alongside her to the half in :54.4 and to near the three-quarters in 1:22.3 before fading.
Cant See Me, third behind two decent fillies named Rodeo Drive Deo and Miki And Minnie in her last start and favoured here, had to go three-wide as the parked horse faded, and though she rallied gamely, she still came up 1-1/2 lengths short. Beach Rules (Simon Allard) finished third.
Jim King Jr. trains Pilar Hanover for partners Jo Ann Looney-King — his wife — and Paton Racing Inc. The Papi Rob Hanover-Paulas Best filly is now six-for-16 lifetime.
In the faster of two $15,068 contests for freshman pacing fillies, Papi Rob Hanover picked up a siring triple in the day’s features as Call Me Angelita (dam Angels Pride) won by seven lengths in 1:53.4 to equal the season’s record for her group on a five-eighths-mile oval (tying Spoon Fed’s clocking at The Meadows). The Scott Di Domenico trainee hustled to the top in :28.1, hung up middle splits of :57.1 and 1:26.1, then still had a :27.3 kicker in her to hint at better things to come for the ownership of Triple D & Oompa Farm, Michael Rekoon, Craig Henderson, and Steve Stewart. Call Me Aneglita was driven by Tim Tetrick, who started his Friday at 9:02 a.m. in Meadowlands qualifiers, came down here, was hustling back up the Jersey Turnpike afterward for night racing, and will start his Saturday at The Meadows.
In the other section for the two-year-old misses, the Perfect Sting-Captains Muse filly Pa Perfect was content to sit in the pocket behind Lady Oakley (Mark Herschberger), who got to set her own pace of :30, 1:01, and 1:30.2. Pa Perfect then pulled out and kicked home in :26.4 to complete a 1:57.3 victory by 2-1/4 lengths over Lady Oakley in her first start. Callahan drove the promising freshman for trainer Chris Choate and owners Son Of A Beach Racing, Albert Zullo, and Craig Smith. Feathers Ruffled (Beyer) finished third in the contest.
There was a pair of $16,438 conditioned sub-features for developing pacing distaffs one level below the feature class. The quicker of the two was the 1:52.2 victory turned in by Intricacy, a three-year-old daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-Act Now. She tucked in behind early fireworks then advanced uncovered mid-backstretch and continued strongly to get the better of leader Lyons Benz (Tim Tetrick) by three-quarters of a length in the stretch drive, with Oh Ophelia (Allard) third. George Napolitano Jr. handled the winning Nik Drennan trainee for Joseph Davino, Brad Shackman, Patrick O’Brien, and Drennan Stable LLC.
The uncovered route also proved successful in the other sub-feature section, as the Captaintreacherous-Linda Lace Hanover sophomore Lyons Anitasangel came from sixth uncovered at the half and zoomed home in :56.1 to set a lifetime best of 1:53.4 in a 3-1/4-length win. The alliance of Callahan and King again prevailed for owner Threelyonsracing. Odds On You (Allard) finished second over Job Crunch (Napolitano).
The racing week closes out on Sunday with a 12:40 p.m. card, featuring a $13,000 USD fast-class handicap pace where the average mark of the seven entrants is 1:48.2.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)