A big week for Pennsylvania-sired two-year-old colts and geldings at Harrah’s Philadelphia started on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 1) with six divisions of the second preliminary leg of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series for trotters.
Trainer Domenico Cecere, head trainer for the powerful Lindy Farms, conditioned the first two winners. The first was an impressive Muscle Hill-Brooklyn colt named Kings County, who was the fastest of all entrants in the six divisions going into the contest by virtue of a 1:56 morning Meadowlands outing. He followed the cover of Holiday Hangover, went on when that one cleared before the three-quarters, and out-duelled him by a neck while trotting his own back half in :56.2 to complete a 1:57.1 mile. David Miller drove Kings County for Lindy Farms of Connecticut.
Cecere then sent out the Cantab Hall-Southwind Catlin colt Union Forces for his purse debut, and the youngster, a winner in all three of his morning races, needed only a 2:00.1 effort to take his initial pari-mutuel contest. Scott Zeron just let the colt grind away first-over, and the pair finished in :29 to be three lengths clear at the finish for Lindy Farms, Robert Rudolph, David Anderson and John Fielding.
The Donato Hanover-Seducer Hall gelding Faithfulandtrue remained undefeated after three starts, including two in the Stallion Series, after coming home in :57.4 on the engine while taking a new mark of 1:58. Mike Cole sat in the sulky behind the streaking freshman for trainer Joe Columbo and George & Tina Dennis Racing.
Donato Hanover then added a second baby with a 2-for-2 Stallion Series record to his credit when the colt Crossfit, out of the mare Muscle Test, rallied from second-over to take a new mark of 2:00.2 in a finish that saw five competitors within a length at the finish. George Napolitano Jr. guided the Chris Beaver pupil for owner Joe Sbrocco, with the two Stallion Series wins constituting Crossfit’s lifetime purse record.
The Muscle Hill–Proclaiming April gelding Final Claim put it all together in his division, setting the pace and stepping home in :57.3 to leave his field 8-1/4 lengths behind while winning in the stakes action’s fastest time of 1:56.4, only a tick off the North American season’s record. Matt Kakaley and Ron Burke teamed behind the fast winner for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Phil Collura, J&T Silva – Purnel & Libby and Michelle Yanek.
In the final Stallion Series event, Cecere captured his third training win of the day, as Cantab Hall-Lindys Gone Crazy colt Lindys Crazy Hall made his purse debut a winning one in 1:57.4. David Miller had the colt on an open lead the last half and still had three lengths in early stretch, but Forecast closed in late. However, as Forecast narrowed in he also bore wide, and that may have contributed to Lindys Crazy Hall keeping a half-length advantage to the finish. Lindy Farms of Connecticut is the owner of the developing youngster.
On Thursday (Aug. 2) three divisions of this section’s Pennsylvania Sire Stakes group go postward, with a pair of Muscle Hill colts, Prospect Hill and Demon On The Hill, hoping to take their PASS records to 2-for-2.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)