Wilkes-Barre, PA – Joe Lee and Yogi Sheridan took their peers pillar to post in their respective $10,000 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Trot on Saturday (Oct. 10) as part of a busy weekend for the club.
Lee turned away all challengers in the first AHDC Trot to deliver 1-2 favorite Empire Builder to a 1:56.1 victory. After clearing control out of post 6 to a :27.3 first quarter, Lee hit the brakes and drew pressure when Massive Matter (driven by Tony Beltrami) angled out of third to launch an attack. Massive Matter marched up the rim to match strides with Empire Builder to a :57.1 half and remained at the leader’s throat to three-quarters in 1:26.1, but Lee then put away that challenger through the last turn and spun for home with a two-length lead. Empire Builder coasted home to score by 1-1/4 lengths with Don’t I Wish (William Clark Jr.) kicking from a second-over trip for second with Velociraptor (Yogi Sheridan) rallying from third-over for third and Massive Matter tiring to fourth.
Daniel Gill trains Empire Builder for owner Adam Friedland. The 6-year-old gelding by Muscle Massive-Captain Megan paid $3 to win.
Yogi Sheridan later denied Lee a double when leading every step with Southside Bar to score in the second AHDC Trot with a 1:56.2 effort. Sheridan secured the top out of post 3 and parked 9-5 chalk Black Tie Bash (Tony Beltrami) as he tried to push for the lead to a :27.4 first quarter. Black Tie Bach kept pressing Southside Bar to a :56.3 half and persisted to three-quarters in 1:25.4 before losing ground on the last turn. Southwide Bar kicked for the finish while Show The Will (Joe Lee) sprung into action late from a second-over trip but settled for second, beaten 2-1/2 lengths. Southern Patricia (Anthony Verruso) sat a pocket trip for third and Louise’s Legacy (David Hoover) closed for fourth.
Peter Pellegrino trains Southside Bar for owner Room4040 LLC Stables. The 5-year-old gelding by Bar Hopping-Southwind Maywood paid $11.40 to win.
Beltrami bounced back from that long mile to win in the first of two $8,500 divisions of the AHDC Pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia on a “sloppy” Sunday (Oct. 11), guiding 8-5 co-favorite Hashtag Money to a 1:56.3 win. Settling into fourth to a :27.4 first quarter, Beltrami landed a golden seat behind a duel between Select Friday (Joe Lee) and parked Miki On The Run (Geovany Hernandez) that simmered through a :56.2 half. Hashtag Money slipped into a second-over seat moving for the backstretch and swung three wide to swoop by the embroiled duelers passing three-quarters in 1:26.3 and kept digging all through the stretch under pursuit from Sunshine’s Finest (William Clark Jr.), who settled for second by three-quarter lengths following the winner’s brush. Miki On The Run took third, another four lengths behind, and San Jose (Bruce Baker) sat a ground-saving trip for fourth.
Ivan Llopez owns and trains Hashtag Money, a 7-year-old gelding by Sunshine Beach-A Ps Money Maker. He paid $5.40 to win.
Jacob Fox inherited a victory in the other AHDC Pace when Shady Lane Luck ascended to victory from a second-place finish in a 1:57.4 effort. Fox landed in the pocket out of post 2 behind even-money chalk and pylon starter Lew Hauber (Geovany Hernandez) as he sped away through an early clip of :27.3 and :55.2. Shady Lane Luck narrowed on Lew Hauber’s lead heading to three-quarters in 1:25.3 and tracked Hernandez’s helmet before levelling off into the stretch. But as Lew Hauber strode clear, he bucked and broke stride into the final sixteenth. Fox jolted inside and finished second lapped-on by a half length as Lew Hauber galloped over the finish, resulting in a placing. Shady Lane Luck took the victory with Lew Hauber disqualified to second while Lyons Pride (Joe Lee) rallied for third and Lincoln Boulevard (Anthony Verruso) took fourth.
Fox owns and trains Shady Lane Luck, a 7-year-old gelding by Luck Be Withyou-Rock N Art. He paid $17 to win.
AHDC action resumes next Sunday (Oct. 18) with pacing divisions scheduled at Harrah’s Philadelphia. First-race post time is 12:40 p.m. (EDT).