Harrah's Philadelphia: Father TJ, Portobarosso AS sparkle in PA Sire Stakes

The Father Patrick-Dip Me Hanover colt Father TJ set a track record of 1:54 1/5 in winning one of two $79,968 divisions of the last preliminary round of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotting males Sunday at Harrah's Philadelphia, reducing the former mark of One In A Lifetime by a tick.

The betting favorite worked his way to the lead past Meshuggah after a 28 2/5 quarter, then went on to light up the timer with splits of 57 3/5 and 1:26 under Tyler Buter's direction. Meshuggah didn’t gain late on the winner, who triumphed by 3 1/4 lengths while also setting a new lifetime mark and joining Fashion Green, absent Sunday, as the only two-time Sire Stakes winners in his group. Father TJ is trained by Jeff Cullipher and owned by him and Pollack Racing LLC.

There were two ways to win a stake at Philly on Sunday – set a track record, or be a son of Bar Hopping. The latter was the route taken by Portobarosso AS (dam Measuredperfection), but he wasn't far away from also using the other path as he lowered his mark to 1:54 3/5. After fractions of 28 4/5 and 58 1/5, the Dutch-bred had to come on the grind first-over through and past a 1:26 2/5 three-quarters, but went past favored tempo-setter Elan Hanover by 1 1/2 lengths for driver Corey Callahan, trainer Julie Miller, and Atlantic Trot Inc.

With only one third in the Sire Stakes prior to this race, Portobarosso AS needed a win to possibly reach his Championship; an unofficial tally after the races saw him in the eighth and final spot, but all official point standings totals are administered by the Standardbred division of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission.

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Bar Hopping offspring swept the four $20,000 Stallion Series races, with the quickest the gelding Gimlet Hanover (dam Ginger Tree Bren), a winner of his second straight Stallion Series contest while taking a mark of 1:56 for driver Jim Marohn Jr. and trainer-owner D. R. Ackerman. Another winner was the gray colt Messenger Hanover (dam Musetta Hanover), who seems to like the recent addition of trotting hopples as he took a maiden mark of 1:57 2/5 for driver David Miller, trainer Ron Burke, and Burke Racing Stable LLC., Beasty LLC., Jim Simpson, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.

The other two StS cuts were conducted over "sloppy" going, and both were won by geldings driven by Tyler Buter, who had four Philly successes. The only two horses who had won more than one Stallion Series race prior to this card drew in together, and Hey Porter (dam Chelsees A Winner) took his third straight win in this stake in 1:57 2/5, beating three-time StS winner Scudo Hanover, for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Steve Stewart. Buter came back in the next race with Pantofolaio (dam Mad Elf), lowering his mark to 1:57 4/5 for trainer Mark Harder, co-owner with Dean Lockhart, Wayne Carleton, and Jeffery Ruch.

Before the rains came, the Bettor's Delight gelding Mac's Delight won the $15,000 fast-class pace in 1:50 3/5, and with style for driver Corey Callahan and Team Cancelliere, trainer Tom and owner John. Dead last at the half and ten lengths behind, Mac's Delight streaked up uncovered while pacing his own third quarter in 25 4/5 to gain contention, then drew away to a clear victory.

Racing resumes at Philly on Thursday at 12:25 p.m. (EDT).

--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--