by James Witherite, for Harrah’s Philadelphia

Chester, PA — Guardian Angel AS turned in a track-record performance in his $30,000 Great Northeast Open Series trotting event on Sunday (June 24) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, while Caviart Ally sprung a 35-1 upset after stalking a pressured pace in the pacing mares division.

World Wide Racing photo

Guardian Angel ASrallies up the inside to collar Broadway Donna in 1:52, a track record for4-year-old trotting horses.

In the Open Trot, ACL Stuteri Ab and Kjell Johansson’s Guardian Angel As ($3.40) rode the pocket to a track-record 1:52 victory over Broadway Donna. Tim Tetrick used inside position to protect the pocket with the 4-year-old son of Archangel, yielding to Broadway Donna (David Miller) in a :26.4 first quarter before stalking middle splits of :56.3 and 1:24.2. Locked in on the far turn,

Guardian Angel AS took aim in the open stretch and accelerated to collar Broadway Donna by half a length in deep stretch. Sutton (Andy Miller) held third after his first-over bid weakened in the stretch, while Ariana G (Yannick Gingras) finished a non-threatening sixth.

Anette Lorentzon trains Guardian Angel AS, whose 1:52 mile was the fastest ever by a 4-year-old trotting entity at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

In the mares pace, Caviart Ally ($72.60) stormed up the pegs to upset a softened twos-on favorite Blue Moon Stride (Corey Callahan), runner-up to Shartin N in the Roses Are Red. Andy McCarthy pressed the pace up the pegs with the 4-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight before yielding to Blue Moon Stride in a :26.4 first quarter.

After rating a :55.4 half, Blue Moon Stride felt intensifying pressure from the first-over Agent Q (George Napolitano Jr.) up the far side. After being headed by Agent Q, Blue Moon Stride battled back for a slim lead in upper stretch, but a fresh Caviart Ally emerged up the inside to win going away by 1-1/4 lengths. Skippin By (Brett Miller) emerged off cover to narrowly claim second over Blue Moon Stride.

Noel Daley trains 12-time winner Caviart Ally for Caviart Farms.