by Don Bielak, for Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack

Chester, PA — A total of $2.4 million in combined purses have attracted many of harness racing’s top rated trotters and pacers for the “Super Stakes Sunday” card at Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack this Sunday, August 16.

The main events for Super Stakes Sunday are a trio of rich Grand Circuit stakes for 3-year-olds — the $500,000 Colonial Trot, the $500,000 Battle of the Brandywine Pace and the $350,000 Valley Forge Pace. The undercard consists of several generous consolations for the three stakes, along with a number of high caliber overnight events.

The Colonial Trot was once the crown jewel of the stakes schedule at the old Liberty Bell Park in Philadelphia. Such greats as Nevele Pride, Super Bowl, Green Speed and Lindy’s Pride are counted among the previous winners of the prestigious race.

Sunday’s Colonial is headed by Adam Victor and Son Stable’s Explosive Matter. The son of Cantab Hall enters the Colonial off a second place finish to division leader Muscle Hill in the $1.5 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands on August 8. Explosive Matter is conditioned by Noel Daley and sports a 3-2-1 across-the-board record in six outings this year with more than a half-million dollars in seasonal earnings.

Explosive Matter will open on the board as the solid 6-5 favorite and will leave the gate from post two for his regular pilot, Ron Pierce.

Listed at 5-1, the main threat to the favorite could be another son of Cantab Hanover, Symphonic Hanover Stable’s Symphonic Hanover. The Jonas Czernyson trainee was a sharp winner in his Hambletonian elimination on August 1 prior to an out of the money finish after showing speed in the Hambo final.

Symphonic Hanover has won half of his six starts this year and has banked $127,616 in purses. David Miller will be in the sulky and the duo will start from post seven.

The Battle of the Brandywine, a stake for 3-year-old pacers, was the centerpiece of the stakes slate at Brandywine Raceway until its last renewal was contested in 1989. Pacing greats Albatross and his son, Niatross, were among the most notable winners of the Battle. Badlands Nitro paced the fastest mile in the history of the stake last year when he blazed the mile in 1:50.2.

Sunday’s Battle is headed by the top rated pacer in the sport, Well Said. The Western Hanover colt has won six of eight starts this year and has amassed $1.3 million in earnings with victories in the $1 million Meadowlands Pace in July and the $1.3 million North America Cup in June included in his resume.

Well Said, who is owned by the partnership of Jeffrey Snyder of New York and Lothlorien of Onatario, is trained by Steve Elliott and has been installed as the 7-5 morning line favorite. He will start from post five and will be handled by his customary driver, Ron Pierce.

One that figures to supply the top choice with plenty of opposition is Brittany Farms and the Estate of Brian Monieson’s Vintage Master. In his most recent outing at the Meadows on August 1, the son of Western Hanover dealt 2-5 favorite Well Said a shocking blow, defeating that rival as a 13-1 outsider in the $677,665 Adios Final.

Dan Dube, who has been in the sulky for all of Vintage Master’s recent charted races, will drive for trainer Jimmy Takter.

The Valley Forge, for sophomore pacing fillies, features Bulletproof Enterprises’ Not Enough, a daughter of Grinfromeartoear that has won all 10 of her races this year and has earned $855,617 in the process. In her latest start in the $405,000 Mistletoe Shalee at the Meadowlands on August 8, the Tracy Brainard trainee set a world record of 1:49 on the one mile oval.

Not Enough has drawn post six and has been made the prohibitive 6-5 choice in the early line. Tim Tetrick, who reined Not Enough to her world record at the Meadowlands, is slated to drive.

Not to be ignored is Taylor, Feldman, Gold, and Silva’s Ginger And Fred. The Real Artist filly has won six of nine outings this season and comes into the Valley Forge riding a five race winning streak, including a 1:50.3 tally over the Chester oval in her latest start on August 9.

Ginger And Fred, who is trained by Ron Burke, will open on the board at 4-1 and will leave from post five with Dave Palone in the bike.

The big 14 race Super Stakes Sunday card at Chester will commence with a first post of 2:00 p.m. (EDT).