Chester, PA – Loua Dipa, last year’s Dan Patch Awardwinner and the fastest 2-year-old filly ever at 1:48, made her 2026 debut in one of two divisions of the first leg of the $105,554 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes as the PA-sired season opened at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday (May 1) afternoon.
As one would guess, Loua Dipa was a heavy favorite. But there were two questions: 1) the only time she had finished off the board in her career, it was at Philly, when she had a rough trip and was fifth in her Sires Championship, and 2) Miss Jum Jabber had won two Weiss Series legs at Pocono and seemed to have the field at her mercy in last Tuesday’s (April 28) $50,000 Championship, but trainer Brett Pelling opted to come try the Sire Stakes rather than what looked like a more-solid cash-in-hand opportunity.
The result? Over a track not friendly to closers, Miss Jum Jabber came from last at the half to catch pacesetting Loua Dipa by a head in 1:51.4.
This division opened with the two winningest drivers in North American harness racing history, Dave Palone and Tony Morgan, slugging it out through a :27.1 first panel, with Morgan protecting the inside with Caviart Daisy and Palone determined to get to the front while three-wide with Spoon Fed. Loua Dipa and Ron Wrenn Jr. were in-between these two much of the initial bend, then was backed off to let the fireworks settle, going frontwards off the first turn to the lead by the three-eighths and hitting the half in a pedestrian :56.4. Miss Jum Jamber was nine lengths behind at the half.
“MJJ,” a daughter of Bettor’s Wish, was aided greatly when Fitness First (Tim Tetrick) made a huge backstretch blitz raw, tailing second-over to a 1:24.3 three-quarters, but still fifth, three lengths back. Miss Jum Jabber’s driver, Andrew McCarthy, tipped her wide for the stretch duel; the filly, still appearing a trifle green in only her fifth start and going as she had done with her head a bit to the right, had no trouble generating her awesome late burst, and that pair finally got the top in the shadow of the wire, the fleet filly pacing her own back fractions in :53 – :26.2. Loua Dipa held her ground very gamely in her first start in 167 days, with Fitness First third after the raw journey, but it was Miss Jum Jabber’s “coming out” party for Pelling Racing LLC.
The other Sire Stakes winner was also won by a second choice, Darlin’s Angel (Captaintreacherous – Darlin’s Delight), who took command in :27.3 then yielded for the garden seat behind favored Topville Lucky during middle splits of :57 and 1:24.4. The chalk had little lick in the home straight, and Darlin’s Angel was able to come up the inside for driver Lauren Tritton and defeat uncovered Bettor Be A Star by 1½ lengths in 1:53; last year’s $135.60 PaSS Championship winner Say Goodnight was third. Juan Cano conditions the winner of six-of-nine lifetime for Hot Lead Farm.
In the five $20,000 Stallion Series divisions, the favorites were perfect, with three wins for both Jason Bartlett and sire Papi Rob Hanover. Two of the wins came via the Sunshine Meadows to Pocono to Philly route for Bartlett, trainer Hunter Oakes, and part-owner Flying A Racing Stable, including the fastest StS cut, 1:51.4 (ironically the only section that did not produce a lifetime best), turned in by the Papi Rob Hanover miss Imagine Heaven, with Flying A partners on this winner with Lucky Strike and Charles Oakes. Flying A is the co-owner with Chuck Pompey of the Tall Dark Stranger filly Tall Dark Tequila, a 1:53.2 winner for Team Oakes/Bartlett.
Bartlett won his third Stallion Series split with the Always B Miki filly Carolina, who also was clocked in a lifetime best 1:53.2. Per Engblom oversees the handling of the winner for his Engblom Farm LLC, R A W Equine Inc., Daniel Sarafian, and Evans Nation.
The other two successful daughters of Papi Rob Hanover in Stallion Series action were Real Fast, now six for nine in her brief career after a 1:52 victory for driver Ron Wrenn Jr., trainer Ron Burke, and Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC along with Knox Services Inc. and Slaughter Racing Stable, and Make It Right, lowering her mark to 1:52.3 for owners Gary McCandless, Jo Ann Looney-King, and Larry Rathbone and the noted “Team Pacing Distaff” of driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr.
Racing live on Kentucky Derby Saturday (May 2) caused Philly to go dark on Thursday (April 30), so the “Trottin” Thursday” diagonal gang had the features a day late. Top purse, a $13,500 event for up-and-comers, was won by the International Moni mare Moni Buys Happynes, who may not be able to spel but who has a shiny new speed badge of 1:54.1 after winning for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer-owner Richard Hans of Googoo Gaagaa fame.
The $13,000 fast-class trot saw the Chapter Seven gelding Dame Good Time win in 1:51.4 for the second time in as many 2026 starts for driver Andy Miller, trainer Nick Devita, and owner John Cummins while stamping himself as a serious contender for the $100,000 Maxie Lee Trot, part of Super Sunday at Philly on Sunday, May 24.
All of the horsemen with multiple victories on the card have already been mentioned: for the drivers, Jason Bartlett with three, and Andy Miller and Todd McCarthy with two, and for the trainers, doublers Per Engblom and Hunter Oakes.
As mentioned, there will be a special Kentucky Derby Day live card Saturday at 12:40 p.m.; a Sunday (May 3) program at 12:40 p.m., winds up the local week. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.