The Liberty Bell stakes series continued on Friday at Harrah’s Philadelphia with action for two-year-old colts, with each gait contesting three $30,000 divisions.
Among the pacing set, it was the Western Ideal–My Little Artist colt Mangogh who first visited Victory Lane, working out a pocket trip for driver Eric Carlson behind favoured Sugar Factory, then rallying up the inside to catch that rival by a length while equalling his lifetime mark of 1:53.4. Bruce Saunders trains the winner of three of his last five starts for M And L Of Delaware LLC and M & M Harness Racing LLC.
Southwind Ozzi got the other kind of perfect trip – second-over – in taking a maiden mark of 1:53.2 for driver Mike Simons and trainer Bill MacKenzie in his Liberty Bell section. It was obvious on the far turn that the son of Somebeachsomewhere–Southwind Solara was right up on the bit and ready to go, and indeed he stormed home in :56 to be four lengths clear at the finish for owners Vincent Ali and Alma Iafelice.
The Sweet Lou–Shark Lightning colt Love Me Some Lou, still the fastest juvenile of the year on a 5/8-mile track at 1:50.4, charged uncovered before and around the far turn to get a stretch advantage, then withstood favoured Captain Victorious rallying up the inside to take down the victory by three-quarters of a length in 1:53. Corey Callahan, who drove him in that season’s record mile, also guided “Lou” today for trainer Tom Cancelliere and owner John Cancelliere.
Among the trotters, the Donato Hanover–Lady Holiday colt Holiday Hangover was kept out of trouble by driver Jordan Stratton, then kicked home first 1-1/2 lengths clear while going in 1:58 for his first lifetime victory. D.R. Ackerman owns and trains the youngster, who had had trouble in his previous starts but today eluded racing misfortune and proved the strongest late.
The Cantab Hall–Upside Hanover colt Klutzy had to mount a first-over challenge from last in his division, but he proved equal to the challenge, grinding down favoured pacesetter Stonebridge Symba and then fending off the late rush of Ginger Tree Skyr by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:57.4. Corey Callahan, notching a win on each gait, handled the catch-driving assignment behind Klutzy and made the most of it for trainer Julie Miller and Stroy Inc.
In the third section, sent off at 7-5 were both the Explosive Matter–Phaeton gelding Explosivebreakaway, a full brother to top sophomore filly Phaetosive, and the Muscle Hill–Bluff colt Summit In Sight, a $300,000 yearling making his career debut. The pedigrees showed on the racetrack, as early leader Explosivebreakaway left Summit In Sight go to the lead and set soft fractions, then rallied inside in a :28.4 kicker to just get by his main foe by half a length in 1:59. Tom Jackson guided the winner, now 5-3-2-0 for his brief career, for trainer Fred Grant, who is also co-owner with Janice Rubin, Steve Katz, and Murray Brown.
Top pacing mare Shartin N, who is 14-for-19 this season but comes off an off-the-board finish in the Great Northeast Series Championship in her last start, has not lost two consecutive races in her hugely successful 2018 campaign, and she’ll look to keep that statement true here on Sunday in a $25,000 winners-over mares pace, but if she is to do so she’ll have to overcome the outside post seven starting slot.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)