Chester, PA — A rank outsider and a heavy favorite won the two divisions of the $86,800 Albatross, the John Simpson Sr. Memorial Stakes for 3-year-old male pacers, at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 27).

Rocknroll Gold, a gelded son of A Rocknroll Dance sent at 30-1, sat in the pocket behind Bloodhound’s fractions of :26.2, :54.2 and 1:21.4 then came up the inside for driver Art Stafford Jr. to catch the pacesetter by 1-1/4 lengths in a new mark of 1:50.4. Favorite Pleaseletmeknow, the New York Sires Stakes champion, never got going and finished fourth. Rocknroll Gold, a winner of $147,972, is trained by Ed Gannon Jr. for Zippett Racing Stable.

Chalk players were rewarded for their 1-5 support of the Captaintreacherous gelding Energetic Hanover, who lowered his lifetime mark to 1:49.4. Energetic Hanover laid off fractions of :26.3 and :55.1 set by Layton Hanover, moved uncovered to challenge the pacesetter by the 1:22.3 three-quarters, then continued strongly in the lane to draw 3-1/2 lengths clear. Todd McCarthy drove the winner, unraced at two but now an earner of $164,139 for trainer Brett Pelling and owner David McDuffee, Melvin Hartman, Steven Arnold and Paul Bordogna.

The $22,500 fast-class handicap trot fell to Hillexotic, who went to the top from the outside post six and rattled off fractions of :27.2, :56.1 and 1:24 before winning by an in-hand 1-1/4 lengths over Gangster Hanover in 1:53. Simon Allard drove the 5-year-old Muscle Hill gelding, who is now 16-for-47 lifetime with earnings of $606,295, for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Phil Collura.

Simpson Stakes action continues Friday (Oct. 28) at Harrah’s Philadelphia with the Ayres, an event for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings carrying a purse of $93,800. There is also a highly competitive $22,500 handicap event for the best of the fast-class pacers. Program pages are available on the PHHA website.