Harrah's Philadelphia: Greenshoe fillies pick up PA Sire Stakes victories

Two-year-old trotting fillies came to Harrah's Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon for the second preliminary rounds of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series, and the biggest newsmaker was the sire Greenshoe, who fathered both winners in the Sire Stakes competition and also two of the successful Stallion Series fillies.

Princess Jackie (dam Frisky Magic) emerged as the only double winner in either series, as on Wednesday she quarter-moved to the lead and went on to win her division, like the other worth $79,399, in 1:56, three-quarters of a length ahead of the pocket-sitter Blueberry. Tim Tetrick drove the filly, now unbeaten in three purse starts, for trainer/owner D. R. Ackrman.

The faster PaSS division winner by a tick was Italian-bred Goodgirl Bi (dam Princess Grif), who was hustled to the lead from the outside post by driver Mattias Melander in her betting bow. When favored pocket-sitter Elaine T broke heading for the passing lane, Goodgirl Bi was left well-clear and prevailed by 3 1/4 lengths over Ms Prada for Mattias's brother, trainer Marcus Melander, and Courant Inc.

Greenshoe's winning pair in the $20,000 Stallion Series contests both scored in 1:58 1/5 in their purse bows. First to win was Saints Preserve Us (dam Firm To Stay), showing a good rally late to win for driver Tim Tetrick, new Hall Of Fame trainer Jim Campbell, and Runthetable Stables. She was later followed in the winner's circle by French Riviera (dam Creamy Mimi), a $350,000 yearling who also made her first purse race a successful one with a good rally for driver Tyler Miller, trainer/mother Julie Miller, and owner Marvin Katz.

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The quickest StS winner was the Cantab Hall-Exceed Expectation miss Omega, who was the alpha filly in the latter stages to stop the clock in 1:57 1/5 while breaking her maiden for driver Andrew McCarthy, trainer Linda Toscano, and Barbato Breeding LLC.

Completing the Stallion Series victresses were two other baby misses breaking their maiden: the Bar Hopping-Dab Hanover distaff Demarara Hanover, successful in 1:58 2/5 for driver David Miller, trainer Ron Burke, and Burke Racing Stable LLC., Knox Services Inc., FAC Racing LLC., and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, along with Miss Pennsylvania, a daughter of Father Patrick-Blue With Envy who won in 1:59 3/5 for driver Corey Callahan, trainer John Butenschoen, and Heritage Standardbreds.

Driving three winners on the Wednesday card were Yannick Gingras (all for trainer Dean Eckley) and David Miller.

The focus will remain on trotters during the next couple of cards at Philly. Thursday will of course present its usual strong "Trottin' Thursday" program, with a $15,000 fast-class trot heading an array of talented diamond-gaited horses, while Friday will see 3-year-old trotting males go in their third prelim of the PA Sire Stakes and Stallion Series, with a few of the former group possibly earning them trips to New Jersey within the next couple of weeks with an outstanding performance.

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