Harrah's Philadelphia: Osterc quickest in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes divisions

A preview of next week’s Beal Trot eliminations at Pocono and the big jewel, the Hambletonian at the Meadowlands on August 3, was certainly on display during competition among Pennsylvania-sired 3-year-old trotting colts at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon. Three divisions of the third preliminary round for the Sire Stakes produced a trio of impressive winners.

Fastest of all, and the only horse to record two wins in the Sire Stakes division this year, was Osterc, 2018’s PA Sire Stakes champion and a winner in 1:52 2/5 to lower his lifetime mark by 2 3/5 seconds and miss Googoo Gaagaa’s divisional track record by a single tick.

The Cantab Hall colt, out of Oh Oh Hereshecomes, a half-sister to millionaire The Bank, was used hard by driver Yannick Gingras to clear to the lead past a quarter that went in 27 seconds, but from there he remained in control, going to the half in 56 1/5 and the three-quarters in 1:24. The Christina Takter / Goran Falk homebred, a Hambletonian eligible, then kept favored Marseille at bay by 1 3/4 lengths.

Hambo-eligible Summit In Sight, who lost a three-race winning streak in his last start when he was parked the mile in finishing second, pulled the pocket on pace-setting favorite Goes Down Smooth after fractions of 27 3/5 and 57, was up to challenge towards the 1:25 1/5 three-quarters, then wore down the leader by 1 1/4 lengths while equaling his lifetime mark of 1:53.

The Muscle Hill colt out of Bluff, whose dam Blur was a millionaire, now has four victories in six seasonal outings for Stroy Inc. and Andy Miller Stable Inc., trainer Julie Miller, and driver Andy Miller. Like Osterc, Summit In Sight is also eligible to the Beal, with that race’s eliminations being drawn Monday.

They were four-across early in a seven-horse field in the other Sire Stakes section, with Guaranteed three-wide most of the way to the 28 3/5 quarter. The Muscle Hill colt then yielded the lead to Kate’s Massive, who had been four-wide much of the early battle, and the double Stallion Series winner took the field to the half of 57 2/5, then shook off the uncovered bid of Capt Chaps Hanover to the 1:25 three-quarters. But the wearying usage finally got to Kate’s Massive, with Guaranteed coming on in the stretch to take the lead, then holding off Macmorris Hanover by three-parts of a length in 1:55 1/5, with Kate’s Massive third.

Linda Toscano conditions the colt, unraced at two and now three-for-six, for Michael and William Pozefsky and Myron Ekstein; she knows a bit about the preparatory road for the Hambletonian, and might be finding herself on it again.

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