Harrah's Philadelphia: New PA Stallion Series standards set in Championships

On Sunday afternoon, Harrah's Philadelphia hosted the $320,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series Championships for all eight stakes divisions, separated by age/sex, and gait. Each group of Pennsylvania-sired horses went for $40,000 in their respective Championship.

TWO-YEAR-OLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Bettor's Wish-Tug River Princess ridgling Twisted Destiny became the fastest winner of a freshman Championship in the 15-year history of the Stallion Series, stopping the clock in 1:51 to reduce the 2019 standard of Lake Charles by three-fifths of a second. This contest was more in the style of the racing at bigger tracks, which often becomes "last one to the top wins," and indeed Twisted Destiny didn't claim the front from I'm The One until the second turn, then withstood that one's stretch charge by three-quarters of a length for driver Matt Kakaley while taking a new mark.

For many in the ownership of the winner - Let It Ride Stables Inc., Odds On Racing, Alberg Racing, and Enviro Stables LTD - and for newly-elected Hall Of Famer/trainer Chris Ryder, the new record-holder (the only non-favored freshman to win) must feel even more rewarding because of their participation in the ownership of the sire.

The filly pace showed the desire of the successful Gigglingonthebeach, a daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-Always Giggling, because she surrendered the lead to a brusher late on the backstretch, backed out and then went wide on the far turn to go around a new challenger, and still got up for a 1:52 1/5 victory (her slowest victory in her three-win brief career), with Stevie Hanover a head behind the winner and a head ahead of Pilar Hanover. George Napolitano Jr. steered the winner skillfully for trainer Juan Cano and Hot Lead Farm.

The two trotting winners shared many similar points: both were undefeated in three Stallion Series preliminaries, and both posted identical 1:57 times after setting most or all of the pace. The Bar Hopping-Chelsees A Winner gelding Hey Porter had the biggest win margin of the day, four lengths, in prevailing for driver Tyler Buter, trainer Tony Alagna, and owner Steve Stewart.

The Greenshoe-Firm To Stay miss Saints Preserve Us has known nothing but Stallion Series action to date and thus is perfect after four career races, winning by a half-length over Pink Whiskey for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jim Campbell, and Runthetable Stables.

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THREE-YEAR-OLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

A second alteration in the Stallion Series annals came courtesy of the trotting filly Happy Chopper, who was a pocket rocket in going by leader Dubai by a head in 1:53 3/5, a clocking reducing the previous mark of 1:54 2/5 shared by Choose Happy and Jezzys Legacy while also posting her career-best. The daughter of Father Patrick was driven by David Miller for trainer Mark Harder, who also is a co-owner with Dean Lockhart and Deena Rachel Frost.

Father Patrick also sired the Stallion Series Champion sophomore trotting male – and driver Tim Tetrick won his second StS Championship of the day – when Activation caught pace-setter Green Pastures by a head while earning a new speed badge of 1:54 2/5. Trainer Melanie O'Donnell also owns the winning gelding with Corey Hendricks and Andy Rickert.

Joe Bongiorno joined Tetrick as a stakes doubler by sweeping the 3-year-old pacing Championships. The filly Pressure Cooker, a 10-1 shot, found a stretch seam and burst through for Bongiorno for a 1:52 2/5 victory, a half-length better than Staying With Emily. Trained by Linda Toscano (who also trained Pressure Cooker's sire, Heston Blue Chip), the winner also gave Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Odds On Racing, co-owners of Pressure Cooker with Mac Nichol, the distinction of being part of the many stakes doublers on the day.

The Stay Hungry gelding De La Hoya Hanover has now won twice since being acquired by Jennifer Bongiorno Stable LLC., Robert Weinstein, and Barbara Bongiorno Stable LLC., and the bettors are beginning to catch on. De La Hoya Hanover returned $82.50 when she won for her new connections and was 12-1 on the morning line here, but the possessor of a new 1:51 4/5 mark after a big move on the far turn paid only $7.40 here for trainer/driver Bongiorno.

No 2-year-old StS winner repeated at three – today – but the 2023 filly winners, trotter Sambuca Hanover and pacer Miki In Luv – have both earned their way into Monday's Sire Stakes Championships at Pocono.

Saints Preserve Us, Twisted Destiny, and Happy Chopper were the leading prelim point winners to follow up with a Championship victory. Twisted Destiny was only the second winner from his sector to also be a #1 in prelim points over 15 years.

Harrah's Philly is currently racing three days a week: on Thursday and Friday at 12:25, and on Sunday at 12:40. The next card is a "Trottin' Thursday" program with a $14,000 fast-class feature.

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