Harrah's Philadelphia: Kosher Mahoney, S I P strike in PaSS tilts

Harrah's Philadelphia welcomed the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters on Wednesday afternoon, with Kosher Mahoney and S I P grabbing the victories in two $77,761 divisions.

Kosher Mahoney, driven by Tim Tetrick, had the lead at the 28 4/5 opening quarter in the first section, but 1-5 favorite Global Pandemic (Yannick Gingras) was already out and on the move from third at that marker, and he would take over the top spot well before the 58 1/5 half. Global Pandemic continued to show the way to the 1:27 three-quarters, but Tetrick angled Kosher Mahoney to the outside late on the far turn to come after the chalk. Global Pandemic tried to brace for Kosher Mahoney's rally, but he simply blew past the leader on his way to a 1 3/4 length win in 1:56 1/5. Global Pandemic had to settle for second, and Troycen (Dexter Dunn) got up for third.

An Explosive Matter gelding, Kosher Mahoney is trained by Symon Spicer for owner Eli Beiler. Bred by Bob Krivelin, Kosher Mahoney was a $7,500 purchase at last year's Goshen Yearling Sale, and he has now earned $64,270 from three tries and a 2-1-0 record. Kosher Mahoney, who was the 4-1 second choice and paid $10.40 to win, is out of the Credit Winner mare Blintz (1:59 1/5, $16,141), making him a half-brother to Kasha V (Trixton, 1:57, $133,557).

In the other split S I P (Gingras) motored to the engine and reached the quarter-mile point in 28 3/5, but 2-5 choice Keg Stand (Dexter Dunn) brushed from third to first in the second quarter. After hitting the half-mile station in 57 seconds, Keg Stand came under first-over attack from Parola Hanover (Tetrick) to the 1:25 3/5 three-quarters and around the last turn, and although Keg Stand was able to fight off the pressure, he couldn't do the same when S I P was able to find room in the lane, as S I P went by both Keg Stand and Parola Hanover, then held sway over a rallying Double Deceiver (David Miller) to score by three-parts of a length in 1:55 4/5. Nice Guy Eddie (Ake Svanstedt) took third.

S I P is a Bar Hopping colt trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Hatfield Stables, Brixton Medical Inc., and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Hatfield Stables also bred S I P with Kentuckiana Farms LLC., and after being consigned to the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, he was acquired for $50,000. S I P now has two wins and a second from four tries, and he pushed his bankroll to $89,130. He is the second foal out of the Cantab Hall mare Barbara Brooks (1:58 3/5, $34,350), and his second dam, Votum Deo, is a full sister to the exported Like A Prayer mare Godiva Hall (1:53 3/5, $808,230). The 2-1 second choice, S I P returned $6.40 to win.

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