from Harrah’s Philadelphia publicity department

Chester, PA — Uva Hanover bounced back from a break in his last race to record a wire-to-wire victory in the third and final division of a $256,448 Pennsylvania Sire Stake for 2-year-old trotting colts on Thursday (Aug. 22) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, giving him the No. 1 spot in the championship-qualifying point standings after this last preliminary round.

The son of Cantab Hall-Up Front Laura had opened his Sire Stake work with two wins, then went offstride early last time when up against Father Patrick. But Uva Hanover showed no ill effects from the miscue Thursday, making every call a winning one while triumphing in 1:57.1 over a track that had just been downgraded to sloppy after being fast for all previous races, holding off the late burst of Explosive De Vie by three parts of a length. David Miller handled the sulky work for trainer Linda Toscano and owners Stake Your Claim Stable and Martin Steinberg.

Il Sogno Dream was a “razzo della tasca” (that’s how the computer translates “pocket rocket” from Italian) to take the first cut in 1:55.4, a national season’s mark. A son of Cantab Hall-Le Reve, Il Sogno Dream fought off first-up Amped Up Hanover by a head, with odds-on pacesetter Exodus Hanover holding for the show dough. Ron Pierce was in the bike for trainer Chris Beaver and owners Bill Manes, Dan Manes, Leonard Christopher and Randy Christopher.

In the other section, Don Dorado never looked back to win in 1:56.1. An altered son of Donato Hanover-Quintessential K, Don Donato is trained by Robert Baggitt, Jr. for owner Mitchell Walker, with Tim Tetrick handling this day’s steering.

All of the horses who raced Thursday and are mentioned in this story are among the eight earning spots in the $260,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes 2-year-old trotting colt championship, part of the $1,240,000 freshman Sire Stakes championship day to be held at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 15).