Harrah's Philadelphia: Captain Corey sets another track record

A second purse start, a second win, a second divisional track record. The racing game must seem easy to Captain Corey, as he won his $103,361 section of the second preliminary of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotting colts Wednesday afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia, matching his divisional colt record of 1:55.

Handled by trainer Åke Svanstedt, Captain Corey ranged frontward after a 28 quarter, then with long strides the big colt stepped to the lead at the 3/8 and got a breather to the 58 half. Captain Corey came home easily on his own in 57 - 28 1/5, defeating stablemate Johan Palema by 1 1/2 lengths while equaling the Philly track record for colts set by Rome Pays Off last year. That colt goes in the Hambletonian on Saturday; this one has already shown the talent to say that he would belong there.

Captain Corey is a son of Googoo Gaagaa - Luv U All; ironically, Googoo Gaagaa's sire, the pacing-bred Cam's Rocket, died recently, as did Svanstedt's own world champion Sebastian K S. But Captain Corey is the kind of horse that will get people looking forward, especially his ownership - Åke Svanstedt Inc., S R F Stable, Knutsson Trotting Inc., and Midnight Sun Partners Inc.

In the other $103,361 Sire Stakes section, the Bar Hopping - Ilia colt In Range went an atypical Philly winning trip, coming from second-over in keeping in his record unblemished after three starts in 1:56 1/5. A name quite familiar as a trainer of top trotting colts, Marcus Melander, conditions In Range, who like Captain Corey was a repeat Sire Stakes winner; Tim Tetrick had sulky duty for AMG Stable Inc., Kenneth Kjellgren, Tomas Hans Asell, and Rick Wahlstadt.

Bar Hopping also had two siring credits in the six $20,000 companion Stallion Series divisions. Tim Tetrick drove one, the gelding Mister Boinga (dam: Boinga), who was briefly wide around a first turn breaker, got to the lead and then equaled his mark of 1:58 2/5 in his second straight win for trainer Jill Roland and owner Bernard O'Brien. The other Bar Hopping StS winner was the fastest winner in the Stallion Series, the colt After Work (dam One Girl Show IT), who held off a monstrous closing move by New Legacy (who trotted his own last half in 56 1/5) to take a maiden mark of 1:56 3/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Nancy Takter, and owner Goran Falk.

Team Orange Crush, trainer Julie Miller and driver/husband Andy, accounted for two StS divisions. The faster was with the Father Patrick - Moonlight In Miami colt Sunny Crockett, who is now 3-for-4 in his young career after lowering his mark a tick to 1:57 1/5 for owners Willow Oak Ranch. Also winning for the Millers was the Cantab Hall - Crazy In Lindy colt Lindys Goin Crazy, who joined his stablemate in being the only two-time Stallion Series winners in this section after a 1:59 2/5 win for the Andy Miller Stable, Gty Stable, Jean Goehlen, and L Berg Inc.

Cantab Hall earned a second sire credit with the maidenbreaking colt out of Demoiselle Hanover, The Irishman, who was timed in 1:58 4/5 to driver David Miller, trainer George Ducharme, and the partnership of William Donovan, Thomas Dillon, Purnel & Libby LLC, and Joe Sbrocco. The other StS victor was the Andover Hall – Ardwin Hanover colt Ceffyl Dwr (named after a mythological Welsh horse), whose 2:00 first triumph was very real for trainer Frank Ingrassia and driver/wife Jackie, the latter sharing ownership with Donna Franchetti and Thomas Doran.

-edited release (Philadelphia/PHHA)