The Creatine gelding Take All Comers has won three of his last four races, all at Harrah’s Philadelphia, after taking the big share of the purse in the $20,000 Open Handicap Trot on Sunday afternoon (July 23) at the southeast Pennsylvania oval.
Hayek pushed the favoured Take All Comers, who started from the assigned outside slot in a field of seven, but the chalk was able to wrest command from him right after a :27 quarter. He got a breather to a :56.1 half, then was asked by driver Troy Beyer to accelerate down the backstretch, hitting the three-quarters in 1:23.4 with only Hayek able to stay close. The two-holer gave it his best stretch shot, but Take All Comers, a winner of $604,093, held him off by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.3 for trainer Jim Campbell and Runthetable Stables.
Even faster on the trot on the Sunday card was the 2022 Maxie Lee Trot winner here, Lovedbythemasses. The Muscle Mass gelding took the lead in a :27.2 opener, yielded to sit the pocket behind Eurobond and fractions of :55.4 and 1:23.4, then zipped home to be three lengths clear of that rival in a sparkling 1:51.4. Lovedbythemasses, now the possessor of a $763,990 bankroll, was driven by Todd McCarthy for trainer Jeff Cullipher, also co-owner with Pollack Racing LLC.
Quickest on the pace was the Stay Hungry sophomore gelding Brue Hanover, undefeated in four starts for trainer Ron Burke after putting up splits of :26.3, :55.4 and 1:23, then holding off pocket-sitter All Class by a neck in 1:50.3. Simon Allard (a four-time winner on the day) steered the developing three-year-old for owner Brad Grant.
Sheridan, Tsipouras Win In Philly AHDC; AHDC Makes Donation To American Cancer Society
Yogi Sheridan rolled down the road and Frank Tsipouras catapulted to a decisive victory in their respective $9,900 American Harness Driver Club (AHDC) events at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon.
In the trot, Sheridan secured the lead with Bang Bang Boinga and had things mostly his way. He plodded by a :28 first quarter and :58.4 first half before facing a challenge up the backside from Allindotime (driven by John Calabrese) as he launched a bid along the rim out of third. Allindotime levelled off at the final turn while Real Mccoy (Wyatt Long) sprung to life off the pocket ride, but Bang Bang Boinga held firm to the line to keep a nose up in a 1:57.4 mile with Allindotime holding third. Odds-on favourite Smart As Hill (James Slendorn) closed for fourth.
Joe Poliseno trains Bang Bang Boinga, a six-year-old gelding by Explosive Matter, for owner Mary Sarama. He paid $15 to win.
Despite leaving the gate at 7-1, Jollity and Frank Tsipouras spurted away with the authority of an odds-on choice in the pace to post a 1:55 blowout.
Jollity found himself last in the field of eight after breaking stride behind the gate. He chased pacesetter Magazine Theme (Anthony Verruso) with about a nine-length deficit by a :28.1 first quarter before lifting from last. Henry The Dragon (Yogi Sheridan), the 4-5 favourite, pressed first over to match strides with Magazine Theme by a :58.3 half while Tsipouras blitzed three-wide with Jollity.
In a matter of strides, Jollity abandoned the competition. Past three-quarters in 1:26.2 with a five-length advantage, Jollity only widened the margin and crossed the beam 14 lengths better than Stews Watching (John Calabrese) in second. Warrawee Total (James Slendorn) survived a wide trip to take third and Henry The Dragon settled for fourth.
Crissy Crissman-Bier trains Jollity, a five-year-old gelding by Roll With Joe, for owners Vincent Ferriero, Vincent Ferriero Jr. and JP Longueil. He paid $16.20 to win.
The American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC), which has frequented Pennsylvania’s harness tracks through its summer series the last two months, made yet another charitable donation when in action at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Members of the AHDC joined club president Anthony Verruso for a winner’s circle presentation of a $2,000 cheque to the American Cancer Society, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizatio,n which has raised over $8 billion since 1985 for raising cancer awareness and supporting cancer patients.
“We’re lucky to get to participate in a sport we love and feels extra rewarding to be able to help those in need,” said Verruso. “Any way we as horsepeople can give back and help local communities, we will.”
With Sunday’s donation, the AHDC has now donated over $20,000 to various organizations through the last calendar year. In recent months, the AHDC has supported racehorse aftercare with donations to New Vocations as well as to those experiencing housing insecurity through donations to HABcore, a New Jersey-based charity focused on providing permanent housing for children, veterans, families and individuals with special needs.
The AHDC, a club composed of amateur drivers, does not race for profit. All proceeds earned by the drivers go into charitable donations that the club distributes through the year while racing at various tracks in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
AHDC action continues next Sunday (July 30) with another preliminary for the club’s summer series at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. First-race post time at Pocono is 6 p.m. (EDT).
Harrah’s Philadelphia is currently racing Wednesday through Friday at 12:25 p.m. (EDT) and Sunday at 12:40 p.m.
(with files from PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia and AHDC)