Hall of Famer David Miller guided two-year-old pacing fillies May Bride Hanover and Skater Chick to their third Pennsylvania Stallion Series victories on Thursday, Aug. 23 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Skater Chick, a daughter of Sweet Lou–Ram Rocker, was positioned second over behind Serena Said, who had had steering issues throughout. When that filly bore out a path just past five-eighths, Miller split horses with his filly to go up and tackle pacesetter Unspoken Promise. From there, Skater Chick had relatively clear sailing, finishing one-and-three-quarter lengths ahead of Alkippe, who came through inside to catch Unspoken Promise for second, in 1:54.2. Skater Chick is trained by Mark Harder for Donald Lindsey, Paul Kleinpaste, and Garth Bechtel.
In no way did the Captaintreacherous–Musicale Hanover filly May Bride Hanover have it easy in taking her third-straight Stallion Series contest. Miller sat fourth early with his charge, then ground uncovered and seized a small lead on the far turn which she extended into the stretch. That jump was wide enough to keep her clear of Michelons Filly, who was hampered by dull cover but came flying late to reduce the margin of victory to a half-length at the end of the 1:53.1 mile.
Richard "Nifty" Norman conditions the streaking freshman, who had the fastest mile in Stallion Series prelim competition with a 1:52.3 win at The Meadows, for the Pinske Stables and David Hoese.
Trillions Hanover, a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere–Tulu Hanover, went straight to the lead in her Stallion Series cut, got to the half in :57.4 under Brett Miller’s guidance, then scurried home win by four-and-a-half lengths in 1:52.4, the fastest of all the Thursday divisions and a personal best. Tom Fanning conditions the two-time Stallion Series prelim winner for the ownership of Fanning Racing LLC, VIP Internet Stables LLC, and the J L Benson Stable Inc.
The Somebeachsomewhere–Foxy Lady miss What A Fox benefited from the hot hands of driver Andrew McCarthy to post an upset in her division, holding off 1-5 favourite Darn Tootn Hanover by a neck to take a maiden mark of 1:54.4. McCarthy sent his filly first over in the backstretch and progressed to the lead shortly after turning for home. She then held off the steady late rush of the favourite, who came from sixth at the three-quarter pole, to win for trainer Brett Pelling and owner David McDuffee.
The unofficial tally of the standings after the races yielded these horses as the leading point winners (ties broken by money won):
1. (tie) May Bride Hanover and Skater Chick
3. Trillions Hanover
4. Rock N McRoll
5. Sweet Cherry
6. Margret Hill
7. Unspoken Promise
8. Michelon’s Filly
9. Able Hanover
10. Another Beach Day.
Sires-Stakes two-year-old pacing fillies go in two divisions of their final preliminary round on Friday, Aug. 24 at Harrah's Philadelphia. Double winners Warrawee Ubeaut and Treacherous Reign drew into separate divisions, and seem likely to be the crowd’s choices as they go postward.
(With files from the PHHA)