by Brett Sturman

Ask and you shall receive. Just one week after an HRU columnclamored for a matchup between Swedish imports Aetos Kronos S and Antognoni S that didn’t come to fruition in the Cutler, those two horses will square off side by side in a stake today (May 25) at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Dubbed promotionally as Super Sunday, the day might as well be called Showdown Sunday because the Euro matchup is just the start of it. Also featured head-to-head in major stakes are last year’s Dan Patch Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh going against fresh rival and divisional champion herself, My Girl EJ. Those two will start right next to each other also, as will Louprint and Fallout in one of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) races on the card. Captain Optimistic makes his seasonal debut too in what should easily go down as the track’s best card of the year. Here’s how I see the key races shaping up:

RACE 11, $100,000 JOSEPH AUGER MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL PACE

Since its inception in 2023, Ruthless Hanover is the only winner this race has ever known. It was in that inaugural edition won in 1:46.3 that Ruthless Hanover went the fastest mile in racing history on a five-eighths-mile track and repeated the trick last year in a time of “only” 1:47.2. This time around he’s racing in the Auger while making just his first start of the year and has post 8 to contend with also. Though, with his early speed it may not be too much of a problem. Those two qualifiers over this track — a place he has an affinity for — signal he’s ready and I’d certainly be including him on Pick 4 tickets in which the Auger is included as the third leg.

Borgata champion Mossdale Ben N goes from post 7 and makes his 11^th start of the season but it will be his first one outside of Yonkers. He went some huge miles at Yonkers throughout that series — from off the pace no less — and he’ll likely have to take that same route here with the speed around him. I do think he could be the real deal in the free-for-all ranks but this may be a tough spot to prove it. Bythemissal never got involved in this race last year but is sure to be better positioned this time around. He was much better last out when crushing in 1:48.3 at Scioto than he was first out when he rode the cover of Little Rocket Man in his season debut but could only finish third. It will be interesting to see what approach Gingras takes with him from the mid-pack post. Last year’s division champion, Abuckabett Hanover, returns today on the heels of two qualifiers at The Meadowlands, and that second one was a vast improvement from the first one when he tired in that small field of three. He lost last week only to Sabonis, a new addition to the Pelling barn who, by the looks of things, will be another one to watch this year. Coaches Corner and Dunkin’ are ones I associate more with the half-mile success but could play roles for smaller shares.

RACE 12, $100,000 MAXIE LEE MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL TROT

As alluded to at the top, Antognoni S and Aetos Kronos S will begin from posts 1 and 2 respectively, and one would think that these two should be controlling the race throughout. The only prior time they raced each other was two weeks ago in a high-level conditioned race at The Meadowlands, where Antognoni S broke stride when he was about to get into a live cover flow. He came back last week in the Cutler to finish third in a race where he was put on the point and had every chance before being caught late, but perhaps the move to Chester will help and judging by his performance throughout the Brennan series at Yonkers, it just might.

But my pick will be the other import Aetos Kronos S. He’s only lost once in three starts since arriving here, and I’m sure that’s a race that Dexter Dunn pins on himself. In that race two back, Aetos Kronos S was trapped behind the leader and surged late to make things interesting once he found room, but by that point it was too late. He since came back last out to win in 1:51.3 and the former Prix d’Amérique starter looks ready.

I’ll avoid the full blown soapbox but as usual there should be a manual review of computer generated morning lines for these big races. In this race, there is no way that morning line favorite Sir Pinocchio will be favored over either #s 1 or 2. I admire his success last year, but he tired in the Cutler from the pocket as a 19-1 longshot and prior to that was sixth by 10 lengths. Secret Agent Man went a 1:51.1 qualifying mile at this track a couple weeks ago and that might be the fastest qualifier ever trotted here. I still remember a big mile he went to just miss against Karl last year in Lexington, and his very best would make him an interesting longshot. Amigo Volo is still going strong at age 8; winner of $2.5 million was second not too long ago at Woodbine Mohawk Park to Logan Park, who is in Sweden today contesting Elitloppet.

RACE 13, $100,000 BETSY ROSS FILLIES AND MARES INVITATIONAL PACE

Like Mossdale Ben N who won the Borgata series, the winner of the Blue Chip Matchmaker series Aardie B Miki N gets thrown into the deepest of waters coming out of Yonkers. To her credit, she’s never lost since coming to the States and laid over her Matchmaker competition every week. Her Down Under record does look impressive as well – winning half her races last year while banking $146,000. That’s a better record than you see from almost any other horse coming here. I respect her class and I’m interested to see how she stacks up against the likes of #s 5 and 6, will see how those 1:53 miles at Yonkers translate.

In another morning line atrocity, Twin B Joe Fresh, the winner of this race last year, is listed as the second choice at 7-2. She’s qualified three times for this race as she makes her 2025 debut and she was in another world in that recent qualifier against overwhelmed foes. She did lose her first race of the season last year before only losing one more time the rest of the way; I do think she’ll be tested in here. More of a hunch than anything but I think My Girl EJ could get the better of Twin B Joe Fresh in this race and will be my pick. Making her first start as a 4-year-old, she chased home Twin B Joe Fresh two qualifiers ago when she was making her first Q of the season and Twin B Joe Fresh was making her second. My Girl EJ came back to qualify again in a fast 1:50.2 with a confident Todd McCarthy steer.

RACE 8, $50,000 SEND IT IN INVITATIONAL PACE

Seven Colors will be my preference over Desperate Man, a horse who raced on this day last year in the Auger. As for Seven Colors, he went a big qualifier two back when besting Voukefalas (post 1 in this race) and Abuckabett Hanover and closed strongly last week from the back of the pack with good, crisp momentum. Desperate Man was up against it from the outside post in his Borgata final, a race that’s snakebit him the last couple of seasons but came right back last out to post a career best 1:48.2 win at Pocono. Huntinthelastdolar won a couple of Borgata legs and post 2 from Engblom just makes it seem like he’ll be a big factor. Maximus Miki was a 1:48 winner last year and makes his first start since the end of December, nothing wrong with either local qualifier. Expectations were high coming into this year for Humble; maybe the change in scenery from Yonkers can spur a wake up.

RACE 5, $40,322 PENNSYLVANIA SIRE STAKE

Captain Optimistic makes his 3-year-old debut coming off two rousing qualifiers. The Governor’s Cup champion from last year and top contender for the Pepsi North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace kicks off his season with a ton of hype. Papi’s Rocket will be another top 3-year-old but amazingly is 0-for-3 to start his season. Though, last out, he was clearly best in his PASS race but probably should have pulled before getting caught in traffic and only found room once the race had been decided. Twisted Destiny gave game chase last out to Louprint and made that one sprint all the way through the wire to earn it; another nice looking one.

RACE 7, $40,722 PENNSYLVANIA SIRE STAKE

Railroad Station finds himself in the softest of the three PASS divisions and this race seems to be his for the taking. He was second last out to the impressive Prince Hal Hanover, whose time of 1:49.3 was super to other sire stakes times that day – no excuses accepted in this spot. Wedlock Blue Chip got the trip and jump on the race favorite and delivered last out to score the minor upset. Aside from maybe #3, he’s no worse than anyone else in here and will have a say. Seaworthy Hanover retains Dunn.

RACE 10, $40,722 PENNSYLVANIA SIRE STAKE

Louprint looks to keep his perfect record this season intact and once again would be hard to go against. Enough can’t be said about his 1:49.3 mile at The Meadows two back when parked, and then he dug in when he had to in winning last out at Pocono. Gets a fresh test from a familiar foe to his inside in the name of Fallout. Another top sophomore contender, Fallout, last year’s Metro winner, makes his second start of the year, and was second last out in his debut to a 4-year-old who was coming off a 1:49.2 mile that he chased all the way home. Go Go Grasshopper comes off a scratch, but prior to that was a sharp winner over Papi’s Rocket.