Harrah's Philadelphia: Starstruck Dreamer lowers world record in PA Sire Stakes romp

Starstruck Dreamer, a 2-year-old pacing colt by Hall of Famer Captaintreacherous and out of double O'Brien award-winner Scarlett Hanover, became the fastest freshman on a five-eighths-mile track in the sport's history when he won the single $129,892 division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at Harrah's Philadelphia on Friday afternoon in 1:48 4/5.

The clocking beats out the 1:49 1/5 previous world mark, set right at Philly last year by Frantic Hanover in his Sire Stakes Championship. It is also the second sub-1:50f win for this horse, his third in three Sire Stakes prelims and his fourth in an undefeated career. He is also the fastest 2-year-old anywhere, on any size track, in North America in 2026.

Starstruck Dreamer went out strongly to get the lead, but so did Atomix Hanover, so driver Todd McCarthy decided to let that rival go by in a 26 1/5 opener, then move off the first bend to regain the lead. That mission was soon accomplished, and then the timer flashed 54 2/5 and 1:21 3/5 at the middle poles, with "Starstruck" increasing his margin step by step past the latter marker.

Starstruck Dreamer was still filling his hopples as he streaked through the stretch, and McCarthy, if anything, looked to have a bit of a hold on him. But the winner still won by 5 3/4 lengths over Eastie Boy, with Atomix Hanover staying on for third behind the powerhouse victor, trained by Noel Daley for Steve Wienick Racing LLC., Pryde Stables Inc., Jfoderatritchiecanamerica and Hyatt Holdings Inc.

Starstruck Hanover has three PaSS wins, while Shalom Hanover, absent for this leg, has two in as many races. They might meet in the final prelim next Friday at The Meadows, but they definitely should clash in their $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship at Pocono on Labor Day Monday.

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There were also five $20,000 sections of Pennsylvania Stallion Series races, all of which resulted in new marks for the winners. Philly's leading driver Tim Tetrick captured two of them with sons of Stay Hungry, the faster being with the colt Hungry Marco (dam Always Giggling) in 1:52 for trainer Jamie Sullivan and owners David Hamm, Glenn Phillips, and Frank Chick. This win came in the first half of the Late Double; the second half of which was captured by Hungry Marco's three-quarters (by Papi Rob Hanover) sister Gigglingonthebeach, a 1:50 1/5 winner.

The other of the Tetrick/Stay Hungry duo was with the gelding Scorecard Hounddog (dam Heythere Lisamarie), who broke his maiden in 1:52 2/5 for trainer Vernon Beachy and owners Green Acres LLC. and Mike Klimas.

The fastest Stallion Series winner was another maiden-breaker, the Heston Blue Chip-Counterparty Risk colt Current Events, home in 1:51 3/5 for driver Mark Herschberger, trainer Travis Alexander, and owners Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Alexander Racing Stable LLC.

The Captaintreacherous-Certified Ideal gelding Celtic Wave won his second straight Stallion Series prelim when he flew home from far back in 25 4/5 to post a 1:51 4/5 clocking for driver Corey Callahan and trainer John Berger, the latter co-owner with Kiefer Elite Bloodstock LLC. and Theresa Donnelly. (Tom Collins was a double StS winner in the first two prelims, but he could not sustain a first-over bid in the Hungry Marco race in his quest for three straight).

Also a Stallion Series winner was the Captain Crunch-Ideal Lifestyle A colt Crunchstyle, and by the biggest margin in his group, 3 1/2 lengths, with an engine 1:52 2/5 success for driver Troy Beyer, trainer Juan Cano, and the partnership of Cano Racing Stable LLC. and Ernie Davis LLC.

Tetrick's two StS successes brought his win total to three on the day, tops among sulky-sitters at Philly Friday; Simon Allard and Mark Herschberger had two victories. Doubling conditioners included Mark Akins (both driven by Allard), Juan Cano, and Noel Daley.

Sunday's 12:40 p.m. (EDT) card at Philly has its three features among the last four on the 14-race program: one for developing horses and two for the fast-class set.

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