by Jerry Connors, the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission

Harrisburg PA — Pennsylvania’s top 2-year-olds will be racing for $720,000 on Wednesday, September 24, as they head to Harrah’s Chester for Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championships and consolations.

The four championship races are worth $150,000 each, and start in the eighth race with trotting fillies. All Star Hanover (Cantab Hall-Astraea Hanover) and Caviar Forthe Lady (SJ’s Caviar-Croupier Lady) both show victories as far back as the charted program lines go. All Star Hanover (driver David Miller) definitely got the better of the draw with post two; “Caviar” (Charlie Norris) drew the dreaded outside post eight.

Pedigree Snob, a stakes winner in New Jersey, Ohio, and of course, Pennsylvania, appears to be the one to beat in the filly pace as the Allamerican Native-Hallmark Hanover distaff begins race nine from post six, with David Miller listed on his second straight likely favorite. Ginger And Fred (Tim Tetrick) enjoys a post advantage starting from the two-hole, but the Real Artist-Graceful Motion filly does show sick scratches in two of her last four lines.

Salutation Hanover, an Andover Hall-Swift Kathy trotting colt, looms as the choice in his 11th race cut, having to his advantage post one, four straight victories, and Sire Stakes kingpin Dave Palone set for sulky duty. Citation Lindy (Cantab Hall-Benedicta Jet), from the Ray Schnittker barn of champion trotter Deweycheatumnhowe, will do his best to emulate his stablemate, beginning from post five with Tim Tetrick.

Arctic Warrior (Blissfull Hall-Bret’s Grand Finale, post one, Tim Tetrick) and Panmunjom (The Panderosa-Pandalay Bay, post two, Dave Palone) will clash nose-to-nose again in the colt pace finale, slotted for race 12. Last time out Arctic Warrior set a strong pace, but got nipped at the end by the pocketsitting Panmunjom; racing tactics will again loom large in determining the outcome of the race.

First post for Chester’s Wednesday card is 12:25 p.m.