Chester, PA — Benjamin Hanover put his name in the Harrah’s Philadelphia track record books on Thursday (April 25) with a 1:51.2 score, knocking three-fifths of a second from the local divisional standard for 4-year-old trotting geldings held by Scirocco Rob since 2019.

Off an impressive 1:52.3 local bow for Hall of Famer Joe Holloway, Benjamin Hanover was elevated to the track’s $13,000 top trot. Retaking the lead from Outside The Fire after a :27.3 opener for Holloway’s fellow Hall Of Famer David Miller, the Sebastian K S gelding then went on to middle fractions of :55.2 and 1:22.4. Benjamin Hanover opened up a 2-1/2-length lead on his pocketed rival through the far turn, then coasted home by 1-3/4 lengths while never threatened. Now a winner of 10 of 16 lifetime starts, Benjamin Hanover races for owners Sarah Andrews, Angela Correll and Jarod Miller.

Benjamin Hanover set a new 4-year-old gelding trotting track record of 1:51.2 on Thursday at Harrah’s Phliadelphia. Grace Zimmers photo.

The supporting features, one on each gait, went for $12,000. The pacing group was mastered by the Sweet Lou sophomore gelding Women Layer, who is undefeated in two starts in 2024. After he and favored Twin B Seamonster argued through fractions of :27, :54.1 and 1:22.2, Women Layer put up a neck on the money while lowering his mark to 1:51.3. Jack Pelling drove fpr trainer Brett Pelling and the ownership of Howard and Judith Taylor, Order By Stable AB and Jerry Silva.

The winner of this class’s trotting bracket paid a local season’s high $137.00 to win. Tim Tetrick got the call from owner-trainer Jim Shupe behind the E L Titan gelding Heza Scoundrel, who saved ground throughout the mile then dashed up the inside to equal his lifetime best of 1:57.3. Tetrick notched three winners on the day.

Racing continues at the southeast Pennsylvania oval this Friday (April 26) at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday (April 28) at 12:40 p.m., with features for both up-and-coming and seasoned fast-class pacers: distaffs on Friday and then males on Sunday. There will be carryovers into two Friday races: a superfecta carryover into race one and a Pick-5 carryover into race five. Free program pages for all Philly races are or will be available at www.phha.org.