Harrah's Philadelphia: Maxim Hanover cruises in Liberty Bell

Coming off a win in the W.N. Reynolds Memorial at Tioga Downs on September 22, Maxim Hanover took the fastest of three $30,000 Liberty Bell sections for rookie male pacers on Sunday afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia.

War Machine (Marcus Miller) led through panels of 27 1/5, 56 4/5 and 1:25 1/5 in the contest, but Maxim Hanover (Tyler Buter) went first-over out of fourth on the way to three-quarters, advanced to challenge War Machine, and then went by him on the outside midway through the final bend. Maxim Hanover put War Machine away for good before they entered the lane and then pulled clear to win by two lengths over Solar Solution (Joe Bongiorno), who followed Maxim Hanover from second-over. De La Hoya Hanover (Tyler Miller) rallied from last to third in the final quarter.

Robert Cleary trains Maxim Hanover, a Captaintreacherous colt bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., for owner Royal Wire Products Inc. The $115,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase has two wins and three seconds from eight starts, has put away $53,740 and paid $3.00 to win.

Hugh Heston, a Heston Blue Chip colt bred by Best Bet Stables, won his division from first-over in 1:53 4/5 for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Per Engblom and owner Morrison Racing Stables. Alliance (Miller) and Captain Marvel (Simon Allard) rounded out the top three. Hugh Heston, who won the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes consolation last month, has a record of 3-0-2 from eight trips behind the gate, sent his earnings to $76,895 and returned $3.80 to win.

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The last flight went to Waterloo (Miller) by half a length in 1:54 2/5 after he put up fractions of 27 1/5, 57 4/5 and 1:25 2/5. Armada Hanover (Jack Pelling) closed well to get second with Syed Ali K (Bongiorno) third. Sent out by trainer John Butenschoen, Waterloo is owned by Charles Rowe, Son Of A Beach Racing, and Dr. John Egloff. The Vieux Carre Farms-bred went for $33,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and made his third trip to the winner's circle, banked $45,329 and paid $11.80 to win.