Harrah's Philadelphia: A trio for Tetrick, a pair for Pelling in PA Stallion Series finals

Tim Tetrick had three driving wins and Brett Pelling two training victories in the eight $40,000 Pennsylvania Stallion Series finals for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits on Sunday afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia.

Tetrick won the 2-year-old filly pace with Lyons Serenity in 1:52 1/5 after brushing to the top before the half. The daughter of Sweet Lou-Southwind Serenity, bred by Southwind Farms, has now won five of six and earned $65,217 for trainer Jim King Jr. and owner Threelyonsracing. She paid $2.40 to win.

The same strategy worked for Odds On Whitney and Tetrick in the 3-year-old filly pace, as she grabbed command past the opening quarter and went on to win by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:50 2/5. A full sister (Somebeachsomewhere-Panera Hanover) to Papi Rob Hanover, the Hanover Shoe Farms-bred was also the PA Stallion Series champion in 2020. Now a seven-time winner, Odds On Whitney has pocketed $139,800 for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Odds On Racing. She returned $4.80 to win.

Completing Tetrick's hat trick was Evening Stroll, who wore down leader and favorite Dazzling Reign (Todd McCarthy) from first-over in the lane to take the 3-year-old filly trot in 1:54 4/5. A daughter of Cantab Hall-Wind Stroll trained by Jim Campbell for owners/breeders Walter Zent and Tony Holmes, Evening Stroll has a record of 6-3-3 from 19 tries and has now put away $114,674. She paid $7.40 to win as a 5-2 offering.

Pelling began his double in the 2-year-old colt and gelding pace as Hammering Hank (Dexter Dunn), a gelded son of Captaintreacherous-History Repeats, overcame having to go three-wide from behind retreating cover before three-quarters and ending up racing in that position the rest of the mile, to win by three-parts of a length in 1:52. Hammering Hank, who is now four-for-four in his career to go with a bankroll of $45,850, was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. and is owned by 3 Brothers Stables, Pelling Racing LLC., and Rojan Stables. He returned $3.40 to win.

"This horse has a very nice turn of speed," Dunn said. "I had to go three-wide the entire final turn, and that's hard to do here, but this horse just kept on going."

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South Beach Star also clicked for Pelling in the 3-year-old colt and gelding pace. Driven by McCarthy, South Beach Star attacked first-up from fourth at the 54 4/5 half, grabbed the top spot at the 1:22 1/5 three-quarters, and pulled away to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Crunch Hanover (Scott Zeron) in 1:51 1/5. South Beach Star, a Somebeachsomewhere-Higher And Higher gelding, is owned by All Star Racing Inc. and was bred by Daryl Bier and Charles Dombeck. South Beach Star registered his ninth victory, has now pocketed $115,316, and paid $3.00 to win.

"I did have to go first-over, but I wasn't worried," said McCarthy. "He's a big, good-going horse, finishes strongly, so things were working out OK."

In the 2-year-old filly trot, I'll Have A Lindy (Zeron) led to the 28 3/5 opening quarter, yielded to favored Born On Third Base (Dunn) before the 58 second half, and had the best kick in the lane, getting up to tally by a head from first-up Design Fashion (Tetrick) in a 1:55 1/5 mile. Born On Third Base had to settle for third. A daughter of Cantab Hall-Martini Lindy, I'll Have A Lindy is trained by Domenico Cecere for owner-breeder Greathorse. She has five victories and a second from six appearances, has put away $53,500, and returned $4.60 to win.

"She had a lot of trot the whole mile," said Zeron. "When Dexter's filly (Born On Third Base) got away past the half, my filly wasn't very easy to steer. I got a little closer, and she was a little better on the far turn. But she has a lot of trot."

The 2-year-old colt and gelding trot saw Oh Boy (Corey Callahan) take command at the 28 2/5 opening quarter and never look back after that, as he rolled to a 4 1/4 length decision in 1:55 4/5. Oh Boy, a Donato Hanover-Hollybrook Lane gelding bred by Harry and Iris Horowitz, is trained by Jason Shaw for owner Tammy Carter. This was Oh Boy's fourth win, he has now stashed away $57,344, and he paid $3.80 to win.

Sunny Crockett (Tyler Miller) was best in the 3-year-old colt and gelding trot. He would front the field to the 27 4/5 opening quarter but then yielded to sit in the pocket behind Believer (McCarthy) going to the 57 1/5 half. Miller brought his charge back to the outside before the 1:25 2/5 three-quarters, he took command again on the last turn, and then drew off to score by 4 3/4 lengths in 1:53 4/5. Trained by Julie Miller for owners Willow Oak Ranch and Andy Miller Stable Inc., the victorious Father Patrick-Moonlight In Miami colt made his 11th trip to the winner's circle, improved his bankroll to $222,786, and returned $6.20 to win.

--quotes by Jerry Connors--