Two-year-old pacing colts and geldings took to the track in seven divisions of their third preliminary in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series Friday afternoon over a Harrah’s Philadelphia oval that was listed “sloppy” for the first five divisions, upgraded to “good” after some dry weather for the sixth, and then taken back to “sloppy” after a sudden downpour.
The Sweet Lou – Blood Diamond colt Blood Money won a PA All-Stars contest in his purse debut then was third, beaten a length as the favourite, in a Sire Stakes race last time. Team Takter dropped him in this Stallion Series leg and the colt did not disappoint, although he had to be tough going uncovered into a 55.1 back half to defeat pacesetter One Corona To Go by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.3. Yannick Gingras handled the well-bred youngster, who took a new mark, for Diamond Creek Racing.
Next to Victory Lane was the Captaintreacherous – Capri Hanover colt Waterway -– with a name like that, you’d think he could like a sloppy track, and he never looked back while taking a maiden mark of 1:52.4. Brett Miller guided the Tony Alagna trainee for the Alagna And Begley Stable, David Silverman, and Santo and Joseph Barbera.
Latissimus Hanover was the only Stallion Series horse in his group to win in the first two prelims, and now he is three-for-three in the competition after winning handily in 1:52.3, fastest of the day’s stakes and just a tick off his lifetime mark. The Captaintreacherous – Ladyking baby has taken his Stallion Series races in successive starts for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Ray Schnittker, the latter also co-owner with Mary Kinsey Arnold and Hall of Fame ballot nominee Ted Gewertz.
The Western Ideal – My Little Artist colt Mangogh went wire-to-wire in his section, taking a maiden mark of 1:54 while posting back numbers of :57 and :28.2 for driver Andrew McCarthy while withstanding first-over favourite Lyons Johnnyjnr by three parts of a length. Bruce Saunders conditions the winner for M & L Of Delaware LLC and M & M Harness Racing LLC.
Springbridge Proud is now three-for-five in purse starts after a fifth-to-first move during quarter two led to a 1-3/4 length victory. The Sweet Lou – Stonebridge Proud colt went in 1:54.1, a tick off his lifetime best, while posting :56.3 and :28 closing fractions for driver Matt Kakaley, trainer Ron Burke, and the ownership of Thestable Springbridge, Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and Adriano Sorella.
The sun had come out and the track had been upgraded to “good” before Captain Panko posted his second Stallion Series victory while lowering his mark to 1:53. Sent off at odds of 20-1 when he won an Stallion Series race on July 3 at Pocono, the Captaintreacherous – P Note Blue Chip colt here was sent off today as the chalk. He proved worth of the backing, going first-up into a :55.3 back half and still going by pacesetting Acton Hanover by a half-length for driver Corey Callahan, trainer John Butenschoen, and the partnership of Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc. and William Wiswell. The victory also provided Captaintreacherous siring honours on the day with three winning credits.
After the downpour the surface was back to “sloppy,” and the last division recalled the first division of the day in so many ways: a royally-bred colt, a horse dropping from the Sire Stakes to the Stallion Series after 20 days off and taking a new mark, driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Jimmy Takter, owner Diamond Creek Racing...it was déjà vu all over again when Blacklight won in 1:52.4. The son of Somebeachsomewhere – I Luv The Nitelife went to the lead off the first turn and remained in command from there for his first purse victory.
Sunday’s Philly card features four sections of Sire Stakes action for the baby pacing colts, with the Burke Brigade represented by the co-fastest freshman of the year at this writing, Semi Tough (1:51.1f), and the undefeated/untested De Los Cielos Deo in separate cuts.
(with files from PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)