Harrah's Philadelphia: Hanover-breds clean up in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes

Pennsylvania-sired sophomore trotting colts came to Harrah's Philadelphia on Friday afternoon for their third preliminary state-sired rounds, with two $71,167 Sire Stakes divisions captured by a pair of 5-1 shots, each stopping the timer in 1:53.

The Greenshoe colt Supernova Hanover dropped four seconds from his mark in winning for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Per Engblom, and Engblom Stable, Douglas Sipple and Mal & Janet Burroughs LLC. Supernova Hanover got the ride in the golden chair as favored Luke The Spook and Greenspan dueled during a 27 second third quarter, then cleared and moved out in the stretch to catch the chalk by a half-length, gaining in the 55 second back-half.

It was again pace-setter and pocket-sitter in the second Sire Stakes division, but this time it was the pace-setter, the Bar Hopping gelding Usain Hanover, who prevailed, holding off the longest shot on the board, Ordained, by a neck while covering his last half in 55 4/5. David Miller drove the Nifty Norman pupil for Enzed Racing Stable Inc.

David Miller and Greenshoe picked up stakes doubles when they paired on the fastest of three winners in $20,000 Stallion Series divisions, the 1:54 mile of Going Green, with the gelding reducing his lifetime best by 4 1/5 seconds. Going Green did hard work uncovered to make the lead, then held off the rival at his back, Green Pastures, by a length for trainer Jenny Melander and the partnership of Melander Racing Inc., Clark Stables LLC., and Noonan Harness Racing LLC.

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Splendid has now won three Stallion Series races among his seven-race winning streak, on Friday putting up a time of 1:56 for driver Chris Lems, trainer Todd Rooney, and owners Rooney Racing and Trotting For Bourbon. The Father Patrick colt was in the two-hole when pace-setter Loxahatchee lost stride turning for home, and had the largest lead at the wire among today's stakes horses, 1 1/4 lengths, over Bird And Grenade.

The International Moni gelding Sainthood has now won his last two starts, here overcoming the outside post eight to take his StS cut in 1:55 4/5. Sainthood set the pace then withstood Takemetochurch Deo by a neck for driver George Napolitano Jr., trainer Joe Pavia Jr., and Bay Pond Racing Stable.

21-year-old Carter Dalgety made his first driving day in the United States a memorable one by guiding 11-1 shot Handlelikeaporsche to a 1:51 1/5 win in the day's final race. The New Zealander, whose father Cran served as a mentor to the younger Dexter Dunn, is imitating Dexter's brief trip to North America few years ago to sample the racing life, and Carter may come back permanently in a bit; if he does, he could have an "in" with the many Down Under trainers on the East Coast, such as Hall Of Fame ballot candidate Chris Ryder, the trainer of Handlelikeporsche.

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