Harrah's Philadelphia: Carve slices her way to track record in PA Sire Stakes victory

$178,654 was on the line during races for 3-year-old trotting fillies Friday afternoon with Harrah's Philadelphia during third-round preliminary action of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (two divisions) and Stallion Series (four sections). Favorites won all six of the stakes races, and the hot sire Captain Corey fathered four of the winners, including both Sire Stakes winners.

Individual honors went to Carve in one of the Sire Stakes divisions as she lowered her mark to 1:51 3/5 while rewriting the divisional track record from the 1:52 1/5 set by Fashion Annie in 2023. Carve sat in the pocket behind fractions of 26 3/5, 55 1/5 and 1:23 1/5, benefited from clever handling by driver Andrew McCarthy as last year's PaSS champ Ginger Tree Lex cleared the pace-setter with a 26 4/5 backside move, with Carve going out and up to challenge the new leader, wearing down her opponent by a half-length for trainer Noel Daley and the partnership of Patricia Stables LLC., L A Express Stable LLC., and Sjoeblom Racing Inc.

Frattina Diablo S became the only filly to post two PaSS wins in this grouping to date when she triumphed in 1:52 3/5. Despite not racing since her other Sires win 26 days ago, "Frattina" set fractions of 28 2/5, 57 1/5 and 1:25, then dug in to ward off persistent pocket challenger Little Road by a head with a 27 3/5 finishing kick. Tim Tetrick was in the sulky for trainer Tony Alagna and owners Steve Stewart and Dreamlover AB.

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The two Captain Coreys who won in Stallion Series competition both earned themselves a second series success in winning by open lengths. First up was I Take The Cake, who equaled her mark of 1:52 3/5 by trotting a last-half of 55 4/5 for driver Scott Zeron, and trainer Blake MacIntosh, the latter co-owner with Hutt Racing Stable. Just a fifth behind that one, and taking a new mark, was Islandgirl Hanover, who brushed to the lead during quarter two, then stormed back numbers of 54 4/5 - 27 1/5 for trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer and Purple Haze Stables LLC.

Smedshammer took another PaStS cut with the sometimes-fractious but very fast Greenshoe filly Green Maztake, who came from sixth at the half, showing a 55 2/5 rallying kick to be along by a head over Skyline Salty Girl while lowering her mark four seconds to 1:54 2/5 for M3 Racing Stable. The International Moni filly Denarius was the other stakes success story on Friday, defeating Naachtun by three-parts of a length while lowering her mark to 1:52 4/5 for driver Zeron, trainer Nancy Takter (her first start overseeing the filly), and Moni Maker Stable.

In addition to the PA-sired action, the fastest mile of the day was the 1:49 3/5 put in by the Sweet Lou mare Sweetnikkilou A in the $16,000 distaff fast-class handicap. The Aussie mare paced home strongly from second-over to win for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Nifty Norman and his Enzed Racing Stable Inc.

Scott Zeron took driving honors for the day, scoring with the two Stallion Series trotters and two overnight horses. Andrew McCarthy won three races, as did Trond Smedshammer (who also trains all three of his stakes winners for the only training multiple of the afternoon).

Sunday's card at Harrah’s Philly, which begins at 12:40 p.m. (EDT), is focused as usual on fast pacing males, with a $14,000 feature for up-and-coming prospects and a $13,000 matchup for the established fast-class setup.

--press release (PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)--