Sweet Gal impressive at Philly as Liberty Bell Stakes conclude

The Liberty Bell stakes series for Pennsylvania-sited two- and three-year-olds concluded its 2024 run on Sunday (Nov. 3) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with sophomore fillies racing on both gaits, two $30,000 divisions for each.

Under conditions not optimal for speed, the Sweet Lou pacing miss Sweet Gal went a very big mile, with her 1:49 clocking only three-fifths of a second off the track and world record established by Odds On Hail Mary last season. Driver Andrew McCarthy sat with the winner in the pocket as Sarasota Hanover unloaded monster splits of :26, :54, and 1:21.3, then came on in the lane to leave that rival 3-3/4 lengths behind while equaling her lifetime best for trainer Brett Pelling and owners W Donovan and Mark Mullen.

The other pacing section was also won by a pocket rocket, the Captaintreacherous filly Donegal Spirit, who rallied for the tally by half a length over Canigetalouploup in 1:50.2, with pacesetting chalk Pressure Cooker another three parts of a length back. Andrew Harris is the conditioner of the 8-1 upsetter, who produced a lifetime best for the ownership of William Pollock, Bruce Areman, and A Harris Racing LLC.

In the quicker trotting mile, the Bar Hopping miss Upallnight Hanover bided her time in third, then was given her marching orders by driver George Napolitano Jr. in the middle of the far turn. Upallnight Hanover used a steady closing kick to overhaul the leading favorite Draw The Line by a head in 1:53.2, trotting her own back fractions in  :55.3 – :27.2  while tallying for trainer Åke Svanstedt and Journey Horses Inc.

The Greenshoe filly Fannie Lipkowitz, bet down to 1-5, must have given her backers some concern when she had to start an uncovered move from last in her section, but she moved up steadily and was in time to catch the pacesetter Diamante Hanover by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.4. Rikard Skoglund handled the driving duties for trainer Lucas Wallin and the ownership of Shermay Stables and Wallin Racing Stable Inc.

The redoubtable Warrawee Needy pacing mare Need Ur Opinion equaled her lifetime best of 1:51.2 while recording her 20th win of the year, tops among all U.S.-based horses. George Napolitano Jr. put the tough distaff on the lead and she couldn’t be caught, winning her third straight for trainer Dean Eckley and owner Ameer Major. (The North American victory leader Hugh Heff was parked at every call in the top class at Northside Downs in Nova Scotia Saturday and was second by a neck, ending a ten-race winning streak that contributed mightily to his 24 seasonal successes.)

Freshman stake winners impress at Philly

Both Knockout Round and Sugar Man lowered their lifetime speed records by over two seconds in capturing their respective divisions of the $87,000 Liberty Bell stake for 2-year-old pacing males Friday (Nov. 1) afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Knockout Round, an altered son of Sweet Lou – Can’t Stop Me Now, turned in the quicker clocking, 1:50.4. Andrew McCarthy sent the baby up uncovered early in the backstretch, and the fast freshman blitzed his last half in :54 flat to overhaul pacesetting favorite Dreamboat Hanover by three-quarters of a length. Tony Alagna trains the speedy youngster for the ownership of Micki Rae Stables LLC and Tim Twaddle.

Also impressive in victory was the Papi Rob Hanover – Sweet As Sugar colt Sugar Man, who made two speed moves for command, then turned in a pair of :27.3 back quarters to withstand pocketsitter Wedlock Blue Chip by 1-3/4 lengths while stopping the timer in 1:51.1. Brett Pelling conditions the winner, whose two career triumphs have both come at Philly, for the ownership of David Mc Duffee, Melvin Hartman, and Rojan Stables.

Sugar Man was the favorite in his Liberty Bell section, but Knockout Round returned 8-1 to his backers, and the winners of the $14,000 fast-class handicap events on their respective gaits were the two biggest-paying winners of the afternoon.

All four of the rivals of Agedcheddar Hanover were sent off by the public at 3-1 or less while the pacer was let go at 19-1, but the gelded son of Betterthancheddar was dismayed by neither his lack of mutuel support nor his position of last at the stretch call while winning in a lifetime best (at age eight) of 1:50.2. Agedcheddar Hanover flashed a giant late kick on a day when that tactic was not used by many winners and overhauled the entire field in the lane, winning by a neck over Captain Crusader A in a race that saw four of the field within half a length at the finish. Ridge Warren masterminded the upset for Breeders Crown-winning trainer Jake Leamon and owner Dona McDonald.

Tim Tetrick, leading driver at Philly and tops in reaching the winners circle on Friday with four visits to Victory Lane, gave a master class in sulky patience while directing the E L Titan gelding Platinum AS to an 11-1 upset of a talented trotting field in 1:53.1. Tetrick kept Platinum AS inside rather than send him first-over before the half, but then slipped out to follow cover when no one moved up to follow the uncovered horse. From there Tetrick swung his charge wide, made the lead midstretch, then held off a late rally by Lava Field by a nose for trainer Anette Lorentzon and ACL Stuteri AB.

Also notable was the 1:54.3 mile turned in by the Muscle Hill – Designed To Be two-year-old trotting colt Herecomesdajudge, as that clocking missed the Philly divisional record set earlier this year by Father TJ by only two-fifths of a second. Herecomesdajudge, who rallied to catch pacesetter Lefties Righties by a nose, has now won two straight for trainer Julie Miller and driver/husband Andy, whose Andy Miller Stable Inc. shares ownership with T L P Stable, Mr. Caroll Huffman, and Patrick Hoopes.

Liberty Bell stakes action continues at Harrah’s Philadelphia

The Liberty Bell stakes series for Pennsylvania-sired youngsters continued on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 20) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with three-year-old trotting colts and two-year-old pacing fillies providing the action.

The first of the two cuts of the $77,000 (total purse) Liberty Bell divisions for babies produced a 1-2 finish for trainer Jim King Jr., as the Papi Rob Hanover – Paula’s Best miss Pilar Hanover (Tim Tetrick) moved to the lead in front of the stands, got a moderate half, then darted home in :55.3 – :27.2 to be well-clear of stablemate Lyons Anitasangel at the end of the 1:53.1 mile. Tetrick guided the winner as she added a Liberty Bell crown to her three Stallion Series triumphs for owners Jo Ann Looney-King and Paton Racing Inc.

Tetrick / King were right back in the winners circle after the second and faster division, with the Bettor’s Wish – Mcsauna miss Royally Hot after she lowered her mark to 1:51.3. The two-year-old showed racing technique beyond her years as he was caught in a shuffle on the final turn as the outer tier paced past the leader, but Tetrick (whose Tim Tetrick LLC owns the winner) was able to back her out to the two-wide flow and get her to accelerate quickly. Royally Hot, coming off a Keystone stakes victory, paced determinedly to go clear late of Beckoning Yankee (Ridge Warren), who won a three-horse photo for second ahead of Papi’s Opinion (Jack Pelling) and Lyons Benz (Tyler Buter).

The pair of fields of trotting males divided a $60,000 total bounty equally. First to parade back to Victory Lane was the Bar Hopping gelding Usain Hanover, who quarter-moved to command for driver Buter, trotting a middle half of :54.3 to take control of the race, and winning by himself in 1:53.1. Now a winner of half his fourteen seasonal starts, Usain Hanover is trained by Nifty Norman for his own Enzed Racing Stable Inc.

The other stake trot provided a minor upset, as Blackhawk Zette (Matt Kakaley) was heavily-favored to record his eleventh win of the year. But the Greenshoe colt Luke The Spook (Mattias Melander) proved the better sophomore on the day, moving uncovered down the backstretch and easily going by the pacesetting chalk while lowering his mark to 1:53 for driver Mattias Melander, trainer/brother Marcus Melander, and AM Bloodstock Inc.

Country Victory sets Philly record in Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell stakes series, for Pennsylvania-sired youngsters, opened its fall stand at Harrah’s Philadelphia during a Friday night (Oct. 18) card of racing, and in the very first Liberty Bell event of 2024, the International Moni-Kristins Victory freshman trotting filly Country Victory set a divisional track record of 1:53.4 in winning one of that stake’s two $30,000 divisions.

Matt Kakaley sent the fleet freshman right to the lead and rattled off splits of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.3, then finished out in :28.1 to leave their opponents far behind while shaving a fifth of a second off the local mark, set by Insta Glam in 2020. Trainer Melvin Schmucker and owner Yacht Club 140 LLC saw their 2-year-old put her lifetime earnings into six figures with the triumph, and she also posted a lifetime mark.

The other rookie filly trot also saw the winner turn in a lifetime best, with the Southwind Frank-High Heels filly Elaine T S lowering her best by a fifth of a second with a 1:56.1 score. Looped early by a four-wide Bay Breeze Hanover, Elaine T S and driver George Napolitano Jr. pressed on to the lead as the crowd’s choice, had the field strung out much of the way, then kept pocket rival Bay Breeze Hanover away by three-quarters of a length at the finish for trainer Åke Svanstedt and the partnership of Brochart Stable Inc., Ecurie Diocles AB and Åke Svanstedt Inc.

There were also two $32,450 Liberty Bell sections for 3-year-old male pacers. Kakaley also won the first section for the sophomores with Vengeance Blue Chip, putting up quick numbers of :27.1, :55 and 1:22.3 with favored Rush In right behind him and the others in the field falling back in the late stages. Vengeance Blue Chip dug in tenaciously and fended off Rush In by a half length while taking a new mark of 1:49.4 for trainer Joe Pavia Jr. and the ownership of Vincent Ferriero Jr., John Whitig, Donald Kayser, and Pint Size Racing LLC.

Tim Tetrick hooked up with the Stay Hungry gelding Armada Hanover to post a 1:51.1 victory in this group’s other section. Favored Solid Character challenged early but quickly got the message from the streaking Armada Hanover to find a spot along the pylons and then was not a late factor; closest at the finish was the tuck-then-first-over De La Hoya Hanover, but his bid, while solid, came up three parts of a length shy. Brett Pelling conditions the winner for David McDuffee, Rojan Stables, and Pelling Racing LLC.

A $15,000 event was carded for the fastest overnight trotters at Philly, and the Bar Hopping gelding Keg Stand surmounted the outermost post with good gate speed, taking his field coast-to-coast while fighting off potential pocket rocket Mississippi Storm by a length in 1:52.2. Todd McCarthy had the drive behind the winner of $682,798 for trainer Nicholas DeVita and the ownership of David Hamm and EVM Racing LLC.

The distaff fast-class pace was also worth $15,000, and in it the Four Starzzz Shark mare Elektra A beat out Talk Curdy To Me, coming up the inside from the pocket to tally for driver Corey Callahan in 1:51.1, with a neck separating the stablemate at the finish. Trainer Jeff Cullipher and Pollack Racing LLC took 75% of the purse with the one-two finish.

A $14,000 fast-class pace for males saw Da Delightful, a son of Bettor’s Delight, move to the lead early under the direction of driver David Miller then stay clear of grinding chalk I Did It Myway by a length in a 1:50.4 mile with identical back quarters of :27.2. Mark Silva owns and trains the winner of $476,695.

Honors among the horsemen for the night were the triples for Napolitano and Tetrick on the driving side, allowing Napolitano to retain a two-win margin over Tetrick atop the local colony. On the training side, Cullipher, who is second in the conditioners’ win standings at both Philly and Pocono, had a triple, and Svanstedt had a double.

Racing at Philly resumes on Sunday (Oct. 20) at 12:40 p.m., with sophomore trotting colts and freshman pacing fillies in the Liberty Bell spotlight. Thursday afternoon (Oct.24) racing at 12:25 p.m. rejoins the Harrah’s regular schedule this coming week. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

LIBERTY BELL STAKES CONCLUDE; "GEORGE NAP" WINS EIGHT

The pacing female specialists, Team Tetrick / King, won both $30,000 divisions of the Liberty Bell stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, while a pair of sons of Captaintreacherous were victorious in the two sections of the stakes for their colt counterparts, as the Liberty Bell stakes completed a four-day “mini-Grand Circuit” at Philly.

Beyond that, George Napolitano Jr. won just about anything else on Sunday.

The 56-year-old Napolitano, sixth in the 2022 drivers win statistics and sixth all-time among active North American drivers with 11487 victories, won eight races on the Sunday card at Philly, where a mid-program rain didn’t change the track from a “fast” condition but did slow down some of the later races. Nothing or no one slowed Napolitano down, though, as at one point he won seven out of eight races while jumping to fourth in the seasonal sulky standings at Philly. His numbers for the day were 14-8-3-1-.714 while going over $1 million for the local 2022 season, and he had a second at 12-1 and a third in three stakes drives as well.

And the afternoon was vintage “George Nap”: seven of his winners came behind favorites, one behind a second choice; six of his winners traveled the front-end, and two rallied from the pocket.

Napolitano’s stakes second came with the filly Lydeo behind Captain Cowgirl, who lived up to her 1-20 backing with a four-length tally in 1:53.4 in her Liberty Bell section. The daughter of Captaintreacherous boosted her record to 6-for-9 and $318,804 this campaign and 11-for-18 and $569,875 lifetime for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim King Jr., and owners Jo-Ann Looney King and Kenneth Frieder. The “Cowgirl” continues to hold her form after her recordsetting Sire Stakes season, when she became the first pacer ever to win both her preliminary point crown and her Sire Stakes Championship at both two and three, and her PaSS earnings of $264,374 were the most ever by a sophomore.

Tetrick / King also won the other filly section with the Sweet Lou mare Lyons Serenity, who had made breaks in her last two, and so Tetrick let her ramble early and she bottomed out the field, staying a half-length to the good of Heartbreak Hotel after that one menaced late in 1:51.3 before the rain came. Threelyonsracing owns the career earner of $305,064.

To add to his filly victory, Captaintreacherous got both siring credits in the Liberty Bell races for the misses’ male counterparts. Before the rain, it was the colt Captain Cowboy (yes, a Cowboy and a Cowgirl both won), rallying up the inside for a half-length win over Code Cracker in 1:51.4 for trainer/driver Åke Svanstedt, who co-owns the winner of $251,194 with Little E LLC and PCW Racing LLC.

An altered son of “The Captain” won his stake section, also going in 1:51.4, and Energetic Hanover may have had an even-better mile in that it rained hard during his race, and he had to overcome the tough first-over trip. The aptly-named “Energetic” still won by 1¾ lengths over Unsung Hero to raise his bankroll to $111,099 for the father/son team of trainer Brett and driver Jack Pelling and the partnership of David Mc Duffee, Melvin Hartman, Steven Arnold, and Paul Bordogna.

LIBERTY BELL STAKES ACTION CONTINUES AT PHILLY

The combination of owner Russell Williams, trainer Fred Grant, and driver Tom Jackson have been having a smashing year basing out of The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, and on Friday the trio shipped the Bar Hopping filly Luisella 100 miles south to Harrah’s Philadelphia and won the single $56,250 division of the Liberty Bell stake for three-year-old trotting fillies.

Jackson had Luisella, the race favorite, out and moving around the early leaders by the :28 quarter, reached the lead and put up splits of :57.1 and 1:25.1, and then coasted home by three lengths in 1:54.1 as temperatures changed to what you’d expect from the first day of fall. Luisella now has six wins and five seconds (one in her Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final) in twelve starts and seasonal earnings of $193,884.

There were also three $30,000 divisions of a Liberty Bell stake for two-year-old pacing colts, with all three divisions won by chalk coming home in :55.1 after pacesetting duties. Fastest was the Stay Hungry – Surfside Sexy colt Lyons Surfing, who seemed to know he was Tim Tetrick’s last drive before the pilot took off for Indiana, as he won by 12¼ lengths in 1:51.2, lowering his record by a tick while raising his earnings to $109,887 for trainer Jim King Jr. and Threelyonsracing.

The Captaintreacherous – K J’s Justine colt Ken Hanover also lowered his mark in his division, finishing 2½ lengths to the good in 1:52. Ken Hanover, who has now earned $127,284, was driven by Montrell Teague for trainer Rollie Mallar, co-owner with Patrick Leavitt, William Jordan, and Dennis Osterholt.

The other divisional winner was his group’s Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion, the Heston Blue Chip – Bettor B Steamin colt Fulton, who got to loaf to the half, then needed to sprint home to hold off pocketsitter Sir Issac Newton by a neck in 1:53.4. Linda Toscano conditions the winner of $247,917 for Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Bottom Line Racing LLC.

Fulton was driven by Corey Callahan, who recorded five winners at Philly for the second straight day. Included in Callahan’s quintet was the Betsy Ross winner Majorca N, victorious in 1:51.3 for trainer Dylan Davis, co-owner with Michael Casalino Jr., as the daughter of Art Major won the $22,500 distaff pace handicap to boost her seasonal win total to nine and her bankroll to $217,010.

All of the winning horses in this story, including this next one, were favored in their races, and all of them used engine tactics except for the American Ideal gelding Copper Teen – his method of victory was a :26 rush with the wind down the backstretch to win handily in a $15,300 pace in a lifetime best of 1:49.1 for Callahan, trainer Per Engblom, and the ownership of Evan Katz, Frank Canzone, and Joseph Di Scala Jr.

LIBERTY BELL TROTTING STAKES ACTION AT PHILLY

A youngster so unpromising that two of his three breeders gave their outright ownership of him to the third partner, Dandy is looking, well, just dandy right now as he went over $200,000 in seasonal earnings while winning the sole $56,250 division of a Liberty Bell stake for three-year-old trotting colts Thursday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

The third, “recipient” partner was driver Jackie Ingrassia, and she reserved the son of Cantab Hall off early fractions of :28 and :58 set by Emerald’s Legacy, then began Dandy’s trademark last-half grind before the 1:26.1 three-quarters, but he was still five lengths out at that point.

But Dandy, trained by Jackie’s husband Frank, just kept coming on, as he has all season, and was able to get up over the potential pocket rocket That Ole Bar Stool by a head in 1:55. Dandy has now won half his fourteen starts this year, three of them in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (he was third in the Championship), and now adds a Liberty Bell trophy to the Ingrassias’ collection.

The Bar Hopping – Designable freshman gelding Designer Drink was also third in his Sire Stakes Championship, and he also won a Liberty Bell stake, taking one of the two $30,000 divisions for two-year-old trotting males. Designer Drink was raced on the lead and finished three-quarters of a length better than 28-1 shot Big Baller Beane in 1:57.3. Tim Tetrick handled the late-developing winner, now successful in two of his last three starts, for trainer Symon Spicer and Keystone Stable.

Big Baller Beane, second in Designer Drink’s division, saw a stablemate win the other freshman cut, as another Bar Hopping gelding, Open Bar, added a Liberty Bell victory to previous successes in the PA Stallion Series and an Arden Downs stake by winning in 1:56.4 while 4½ lengths clear of his nearest opposition. Corey Callahan drove the frontender for trainer Steve Schoeffel and the ownership of Virginia and Kathy Schoeffel, Marian Schilling, and Daniel Goehle.

Corey Callahan and Tim Tetrick, the winners in the Liberty Bell action for babies, each won five races on the Thursday card, and between them accounted for all three of the overnight features on Philly’s “Trottin’ Thursday.”

Callahan took the richest of those contests, winning the $15,300 event with the Dejarmbro gelding Star Razor on the engine in 1:53.4, his ninth win this year in fifteen starts for trainer Shaun Callahan and owners Nick Callahan, Yorwollahan Racing Team, and Gregory Godbout; Corey also got home Hayek in the $13,000 fast-class feature in 1:54.3 for trainer Per Engblom and owners Evan Katz and Frank Canzone. Tetrick, the meet’s top driver, was successful with the Muscle Hill sophomore gelding Stride The Hill in 1:54.2, winning a $14,400 contest for trainer Jim Campbell and Fashion Farms LLC.

Philly features Liberty Bell Stakes for freshman fillies

The Liberty Bell stakes series, for fast Pennsylvania-sired two and three-year-olds, began a run of two stakes a day for the eight divisions on Sunday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with two-year-old fillies on both gaits contesting three $30,000 events.

Driver Simon Allard, who was in the right place at the right time all day (usually on or near the lead) in winning six races, combined with trainer Jessica Fallon to win two of the trio of contests for trotters. The faster winner was the Father Patrick – Gin And Lindy miss Lindys Irishcream, who went right to the lead and trotted strongly to victory in 1:55.4, a new mark. Since coming to Pennsylvania from Ontario four starts ago, Lindys Irishcream has three victories, all in stakes, for owners Tim Klemencic and Blake MacIntosh.

Team Allard/Fallon/Klemencic/MacIntosh opened the card by winning with the International Moni – Miss Anthem distaff Foolish Moni, who also used pacesetting tactics in a 1:57.3 triumph. Like her stablemate a recent traveler from Ontario to Pennsylvania, Foolish Moni has now posted two triumphs in three tries in the Keystone State. Foolish Moni went off as the second choice; Lindys Irishcream was the favorite in her event.

The third trotting section did not hold up to form, as 13-1 shot Planter’s Punch saved much ground during a duel among several horses, then was moved clear by driver Tyler Miller and took a new mark of 1:57.3. Team Orange Crush, who won two of the big-money finals in the Kentucky program during the afternoon, also posted a victory on “the home front,” as Tyler’s mom Julie Miller trains the daughter of Bar Hopping – Cloud Dancer for Willow Oak Ranch.

The pacing sections were, like the trotting races, won by a favorite, a second choice, and a longshot. Both gaits had victories by a half length and three-quarters of a length; the third trotting division produced a 1¾ lengths margin, while the other pacing cut was won by “only” 1½ lengths.

But the 1½ length winner, the Captaintreacherous – My Little Delight filly My Little Captain, looked like she could have won by a bigger distance, as driver Art Stafford Jr. only gave her one tap with the whip in the stretch to ensure her front-end 1:53.4 victory. My Little Captain, who was a heavy favorite, now has five wins and two seconds in seven starts, three of them Pennsylvania Sire Stakes triumphs, for trainer Andrew Stafford and EVM Racing LLC.

Belterra was a 1-1 second choice in her Liberty Bell event, but she proved the crowd wrong by going to the lead early and staying strong while taking a mark of 1:53.1. This was the third win in six races for the Stay Hungry – Studio One filly, who was driven by George Napolitano Jr. for trainer Robert Cleary and Royal Wire Products Inc.

The third pacing section produced the mutuel upset – although the long-memoried knew that driver Victor Kirby and trainer Nifty Norman have on several occasions combined to produce longshot winners, going back to Bee Forever winning the 2020 Valley Victory and as recently as August 25 at Philly with $109.60 upsetter Romantic Evening. And indeed here was the Heston Blue Chip – Moonlight Spin miss Romantic Evening again, having raced only once since her bombshell triumph, again lighting up the board at $49.40 in her patented come-from-behind style. The filly took a new mark of 1:52.3 in winning for Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Bottom Line Racing LLC.

The Liberty Bell stakes series got off to a fine and fast start on Friday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, as the Bar Hopping – Peace Dove colt Parola Hanover equaled the track record for two-year-old colt trotters of 1:55 while winning strongly on the engine.

Corey Callahan left the early traffic sort itself out, then moved his colt to the lead nearing the 28.1 quarter, clearing to the top and then getting a breather to a :57.4 half. There were no breathers from that point, as the winner tacked on a pair of :28.3 back quarters to defeat first-over Andoverthewinnings by 2½ lengths while matching the local standard first set by Rome Pays Off in 2019 and then equaled by Captain Corey last year.

Parola Hanover won for only the second time in the $61,000 single division event, but he has shown sharp improvement over the last month, including a neck loss to S I P in their Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship, and the Dave Wiest trainee now has a bankroll of $173,125 for David L Wiest Stables LLC and Edward Kimmel.

There were two $30,000 divisions of the Liberty Bell stake for freshman pacing fillies, and the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship winner and Consolation winner accounted for the splits. The Championship winner, the Captaintreacherous – Rideintothesunset filly Captain Cowgirl, ran her record to six-for-eight, and her earnings to $245,071, with a 1:52.2 victory. The Cowgirl set the pace with fractionals of :27.3, :56.2, and 1:23.3, then holding off a very stubborn Southwind Java by a neck for driver Victor Kirby, trainer Jim King Jr. (there seems to be no end to nice distaffs coming from his barn), and the ownership of Joanne Looney-King, Kenneth Frieder, and Tim Tetrick LLC.

The Betting Line – Robin Cruiser miss Hood Party, like the other stakes winners the crowd choice, also chose frontstepping tactics en route to a 1:53 win. Ringing up splits of :27.2, :56.3, and 1:24.2, Hood Party then  had enough in her tank to defeat a resurgent Sweet Omen by a neck for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Nifty Norman, and Pinske Stables while running her record to four-for-nine, including three of her last four.

WHICHWAYTOTHEBEACH AMONG LIBERTY BELL STAKE WINNERS AT PHILLY

The Somebeachsomewhere gelding Whichwaytothebeach, so gallant in his 2-3 finishes in the Little Brown Jug, was the feature attraction on Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, and he did not disappoint. He won his $30,000 division of the Liberty Bell stakes for three-year-old pacing colts in 1:50.2; there were three sections for the pacers and two at a like purse for the trotters.

Todd McCarthy, top winner on the day at Philly with four victories, did not rush the star sophomore out of the gate, going up to grab the lead after a :26.4 quarter, then getting to the half in :55 and the three-quarters in 1:22.4. His Beats Hanover, from third-inside, made a good stretch showing but was still 1½ lengths off the winner of $515,729, who is trained by Brett Pelling for Alan Johnston and John Craig.

McCarthy and Pelling teamed again to win another pacing section with a Somebeachsomewhere gelding, South Beach Star, who ran his 2021 tally to 9-for-16 with a 1:50.3 win. The winner grabbed command just past a :27.2 quarter from Mad Man Hill, who then stalked him through midsplits of :56 and 1:23.3, then came with a big stretch effort that landed him three-quarters of a length behind the winner. All Star Racing Inc. owns South Beach Star.

The other section of the pace was the fastest, as the Sweet Lou gelding Hellabalou, who hadn’t won since his Adios triumph at the end of July, looked as good in the eastern part of Pennsylvania as he did that day in western PA. He made the lead from the outside post eight before the :26.2 quarter, yielded to Komodo Beach and sat behind him as that one hung numbers of :54 and 1:22 on the board, and then gobbled him up in the lane, leaving him 3½ lengths behind in 1:49.4 for driver Simon Allard, trainer Josh Green, and owner Eric Good. Hellabalou was the only nonfavorite to win in stakes action Friday, being sent off at 11-10 behind Komodo Beach at even money.

The Southwind Frank colt Capstone had earned $107,664 without winning in 2021 before capturing the faster of the two trotting Liberty Bell cuts in a lifetime best of 1:54. George Napolitano Jr. sent the Åke Svanstedt trainee, owned by Åke Svanstedt Inc. and Stable Why Not, to command past a :28 quarter, got a rest to a :57.4 half, then was clear of his opposition through the 1:25.3 three-quarters and right to the finish, winning by 5¾ lengths.

The Father Patrick colt Sunny Crockett, a winner of 13 of 24 lifetime starts including a “Pennsylvania EGOT” (Stallion Series Championship, PA All-Stars, Liberty Bell, and Simpson stake) in addition to the Old Oaken Bucket, set fractions of :28.1, :57.4, and 1:26.4 in the other division, but he then had to be at his best to have a nose advantage over potential pocket rocket Arnold N Dicky at the end of a 1:55 mile. Marcus Miller handled the sulky duty for trainer/aunt Julie Miller and the partnership of Willow Oak Ranch and Andy Miller Stable Inc.

Philly stakes action swept by Miller on the pace, Tetrick on the trot

A pair of Hall of Fame drivers divided up the Liberty Bell stakes series action for three-year-old males on Wednesday(Oct. 14)afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia. David Miller took both $31,300 sections of the pacing event, while Tim Tetrick won in both $37,300 trotting sections. Both of them raced their charges just off the pace, and both of them defeated the race favorite late.

Miller started things off by guiding the Sweet Lou gelding Tru Lou to a 1:49.1 mark. The sophomore was able to race in the pocket behind pacesetting Manticore, certainly a better journey than he had having to pace his middle half in :52.3 to get the lead before tiring at Lexington in his last start. He went inside the leader in the lane, then held off the late burst of heavy favorite Allywag Hanover, coming from second-over, by a neck, with Manticore another length back in third. Ron Burke trains the winner for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services Inc., and Slaughter Racing Stable LLC.

In the other pacing section, Miller won with another Sweet Lou gelding, Tito Rocks, who has now taken two straight after a 1:50.3 victory. Tito Rocks raced hard to get the early lead, yielded to the prohibitive chalk Patriot Nation to sit in the golden seat, then worked up the inside to pass the favorite by three-quarters of a length at the finish. Robert Cleary trains the winner, who went over $100,000 in career earnings with the victory, for Royal Wire Products Inc.

On the trotting side, Tetrick’s first stakes visit to Victory Lane came behind the Explosive Matter colt Overserved in a career best 1:53.1. Favored Paulie Walnuts set the pace in this race, with Town Victor angling out from the pocket for the drive and Overserved, who had tucked third, fanning out even wider. Overserved proved to have the most late, going by to win by 1¼ lengths, with Town Victor photoing Paulie Walnuts for the deuce. The winner, who won the Pennsylvania Stallion Series Championship last month, also reached six figures in his career bankroll with his success for trainer George Ducharme and the partnership of William Donovan, Stephen Michaels, Joe Sbrocco, and Jim Winske.

The other section yielded a classic “pocketsitter passes pacesetter late” scenario, as Tetrick raced into the early pocket with the Andover Hall gelding Loyal Fox Hanover after the former occupant of that spot made a break, waited behind pacesetting chalk Shinkansen, then came out entering the stretch and trotted past for a three-quarter length victory. Ron Coyne Jr. now has a stakes win with the youngster he has had for only three starts for the ownership of Vogel & Wags Nags LLC, Team Rice Racing LLC, and Adelphia Bloodstock Inc.

Marcus Miller, George Napolitano Jr., dominate Philly’s Liberty Bell Stakes action

Drivers George Napolitano Jr. and Marcus Miller dominated the Liberty Bell series stakes action on Friday (Oct. 9) afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, capturing five of the six $30,000 divisions for two-year-old colts, three on each gait.

Napolitano deputized for trainer Åke Svanstedt (who was in Lexington establishing a new world record for freshman trotters with Southwind Tyrion), guiding two of Svanstedt’s babies – who had a total of six lifetime starts between them — to victory. First up was the Southwind Frank – Culmination colt Capstone, who never let anyone get past him and broke his maiden by three lengths in 1:55.3, just three ticks shy of the track record co-held by Rome Pays Off and Captain Corey, for the ownership of Åke Svanstedt Inc. and Stable Why Not.

Lepanto, the PA Stallion Series champion, then raised his record to four for five for today’s Team Napolitano / Svanstedt, also using engine tactics, but having to work hard late to resist Pilot Hanover by a nose in 1:56.2. The Bar Hopping – Woman Of Character colt found the finish line just in time for Esa Lahtinen, Jussi Hietalahti, and Arvo Risto Ylitalo.

Lepanto’s only loss came to Sunny Crockett in a Stallion Series contest, and that colt by Father Patrick – Moonlight In Miami won the third Liberty Bell section for Marcus Miller in 1:56.4, with a back half of :56.4, to take his fifth win in ten starts. “Aunt” Julie Miller trains the consistent youngster for Willow Oak Ranch and Andy Miller Stable Inc.

Marcus Miller can claim an even closer blood relationship with the trainer of the Liberty Bell stakes pacing winner he drove, Captain Sleaze, by A Rocknroll Dance – Da Sleazy One. The gelding finally broke through for his maiden win in 1:53.3 while denying Beach Chief by a neck. Marcus’s father Erv conditions the freshman for Engel Stable Of IL LLC.

Napolitano put a new mark on the pacing winner he drove, the Sweet Lou – Faster Faster colt Mysweetboymax, rallying from the pocket for a half length 1:52.1 decision over pacesetter Somewhereinverona (over whom the winner was favored by $4). Sam De Pinto’s trainee recorded his third victory for owners Robert and Brandon Horowitz.

The third pacing winner was driven by a horseman who had never raced at Harrah’s Philadelphia, but who certainly came with a sterling reputation – two-time national driving champion Ronnie Wrenn Jr. The horse with whom he won, the Captaintreacherous – Calgary Hanover gelding Chase H Hanover, also had recently been in the spotlight with his 1:51.1 tying of his divisional world record at Delaware (OH) and earlier second to Southwind Gendry in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship.

Wrenn and “Chase H” quickly had the top, backed the half off to :56.3, and needed every bit of energy saved to step home in successive :27.1 quarters and keep Whichwaytothebeach, the PaSS Consolation winner, at bay by a head in a lifetime best 1:51. Chase H Hanover has now bankrolled $225,797 for trainer Scott Cox, who shares ownership with Jason Ash.

A final note: many races find brothers or half-sisters, or offspring of related sires, finishing 1-2, but it’s an unusual race where the trainers are a son and a father who finished 1-2. Trotter Gran Paraiso, trained by David Wiest, broke his maiden in 1:58.4; finishing second was the freshman filly Divainthereddress, trainer by his father Donald – who had turned ninety years young eight days earlier, and must have been pleased that the family took the top two spots.

Liberty Bell Stakes for 2-year-old Fillies

The Liberty Bell stakes series commenced its annual fall run at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 23), with over $160,000 in purses offered to 2-year-old fillies on both gaits.

There were three divisions for pacers, and the chalk won all three – though the heaviest favorite of all gave the crowd some tension before they could get their nickel profit for every win dollar bet. Grace Hill, second in her Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship behind Blue Diamond Eyes (who won the Kentucky program’s final this past Sunday [Sept. 20]) looked to be sailing along for driver Todd McCarthy after setting fractions of :28.2, :56.2, and 1:24.2.

However, pocket sitter Natchez Belle kept chopping into the margin – four lengths at the half, two at the three-quarters, 1-1/4 lengths at the stretch call and narrowing with every step towards the wire. But Grace Hill, a daughter of Always B Miki out of the $1.6M-plus-winning Western Silk, dug down and won by a head in 1:53.1, running her scorecard to 6-4-2-0-$204,272 for trainer Nifty Norman and owner Tom Hill.

Another filly with a distinguished pedigree as a half-sister to Huntsville, the Betting Line – Wild West Show miss Let ‘Er Buck, made two moves to control the throttle through splits of :28, :57.1, and 1:25.3, then turned back first-over Southwind Mina by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:53.4, a career best, for driver Mark MacDonald and owner/trainer Ray Schnittker.

The fastest winner was the Captaintreacherous – Miss Kitty Hanover filly Mackie Hanover, who sped right to the top from the outside post six and hung up numbers of :28, :57.1, and 1:24.3 en route to a three length triumph in a lifetime best 1:52.4. George Brennan, a four-time winner during the card, was in the sulky for trainer Tom Fanning and owners Howard Taylor and Falcon Racing LLC.

On the trotting side, it was finally the day for “the world’s richest maiden,” the Donato Hanover – Dream Child filly You Ato Dream, who had been second in all four of her PA Sire Stakes preliminaries and the Championship while earning $157,556. Here You Ato Dream worked her way to the lead for trainer/driver Jeff Gregory near the :28 quarter, put up mid-splits of :57 and 1:25, then was kept to business to withstand potential pocket rocket May Karp in 1:54.2, a maiden mark. Jeff Gregory Inc. owns the talented miss with William Richardson, George Romanoff, and Martin Garey.

Donato Hanover earned a siring double when Wixx Hanover (dam: Whispering Wind) reduced her mark to 1:55.3 in the other section. With a filly who had shown both speed and shaky manners, driver George Brennan was in no hurry to rush the 2-year-old, letting her follow the early cover of favored Myreanna, who claimed the lead midway between the :28.1 quarter and the :57.2 half, and then claimed the top going to the mid-race mark. From there Wixx Hanover had total command, reaching the three-quarters in 1:26 and going off to a 2-3/4 length victory over the chalk for trainer Roland Mallar, co-owner with Patrick Leavitt and William Hartt.

Sophomore filly Liberty Bell Stakes headline Friday’s Philly Racing

Three-year-old fillies were spotlighted in $150,000 worth of Liberty Bell stakes series action during the Friday (Sept. 25) afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with two divisions for pacers and three for trotters.

The first pace saw the ultra consistent Rocknificent, competitive not only within the state but with the North American elite, handle a late pocket charge from Drama Act to win in 1:51.3. Scott Zeron sent the daughter of Captaintreacherous out of the $2M+-winning Rocklamation, who was second choice at 3-2 to Drama Act’s 1-2, to the lead from post six, with Drama Act from the rail maintaining the pocket through pedestrian fractions of :27.1, :56.4, and 1:24.3. When both the fillies’ pedals were pushed to the metal, however, they dueled home in :27, with Rocknificent holding off her rival by a neck to run her seasonal record to 10-5-2-3-$242,530 and her lifetime tally to 23-10-4-7-$524,036 for trainer Linda Toscano and the partnership of Enviro Stables LTD, South Mountain Stables, and Little E LLC.

The second pacing section also saw the second choice win, though the positional tables were turned, as the A Rocknroll Dance miss Dance Club made Going Gone Hanover, favored at 4-5 to Dance Club’s 7-5, work through early numbers of :26.4 and :54.4, and then sat watching the 1:22.4 battle to the three-quarters between the favorite and first-over Wayside. George Brennan then steered the Ron Burke trainee up the inside, and Dance Club, who is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services Inc. and David Wills, went past by a length and a half, with Going Gone Hanover beating Wayside by a half length for second.

Turning to the trotters: Next Level Stuff raised her lifetime win record to 10 triumphs in 19 starts by posting a 1:55 victory in her division. With main foe Fifty Cent Piece eliminating herself early, the daughter of Sebastian K S quarter-moved after a :27.3 opener, got a breather to the half in :58.1, then tripped the three-quarters in 1:26.4 and held safe Electrapedia by 1-3/4 lengths. Todd McCarthy, quickly adapting to top-level North American competition, drove the winner of $328,816 for trainer Jim Campbell and Runthetable Stables.

A similar scenario developed in another Liberty Bell trot, as Dune Hill made an early misstep, leaving the path clear for the Muscle Massive miss Miss McKee to head down the road for driver George Napolitano Jr., with fractions of :28.1, :58.1, and 1:26 leading to an open length triumph in 1:54.2. The Jack Baggitt Jr.-trained filly now has seven wins in twelve seasonal starts and over $110,000 on her card this year for J L Sadowsky LLC.

The Hall of Fame is not likely to be calling for a copy of the third division. After the Andover Hall filly SVF Blushingbride made the lead in :27.4 and got to the half in :58.1 ahead of her five opponents, the following happened in this order: 1) first-over Impressive Fashion made a break just past the midway point, leaving Cover Girl uncovered; 2) pocketsitter Aldebaran Revani made a miscue off turn two, causing 3) I’m Winin Hanover right behind her to suffer an “ix,” which let Cover Girl take the pocket and left favored Molto Bene uncovered; 4) the “first-up” horse broke at the 1:26.3 three-quarters, leaving a two-horse breakaway until 5) Cover Girl misbehaved past midturn. That left driver Simon Allard and the Lou Pena-trained filly all alone to trot out in 1:57, with SVF Blushingbride’s margin over the recovering Cover Girl 9-1/2 lengths. The subsequent inquiries into the breaks caused the red lighting on the tote board to use more electricity than a Christmas display, but only Aldebaran Revani, for causing interference, was placed lower.