Sandyboots Hanover shines in Liberty Bell finale

CHESTER PA – The Always B Miki filly Sandyboots Yankee captured the last Liberty Bell stake of the 2026 harness racing season at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, winning the $47,250 single division contest for three-year-old pacing misses in 1:52.4.

Other than her very respectable 4-4 finishes in the Jugette, Sandyboots Hanover had won her other five recent races, including a Keystone Classic, a Simpson stake, and her Stallion Series Championship. Sandyboots Hanover gradually worked her way to the top, and after early fractions of :27.3 and :56.3 dueled with a familiar foe in Make It Right, who had been second in the Stallion Series Championship.

Make It Right went her own third split in :26.1 uncovered  to get within a length of the winner at the 1:23.4 three quarters and kept getting closer on the far turn, but Sandyboots Hanover still had pace in reserve, winning by 1¾ lengths. Tyler Buter sulkysat behind the earner of $133,510 in 2026 and $202,967 lifetime for the Burke Brigade – trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Lawrence Karr, and Phil Collura.

SANDYBOOTS HANOVER REPLAY

The Sweet Lou gelding Christopher Dance N, assigned the outside post seven in the $16,000 fast-class pace, improved on his recent win tallies of three of his last four and four of his last six with a 1:50.1 victory, with back fractions of :55 – :27.2 on a day when only two of the fourteen races had a faster fourth quarter than third split.

Tim Tetrick found a spot midpack early as there was a three-way dance for the lead, with Joemikiyoursofine, who defeated the Kiwi pacer here on October 26, went to the top between horses. The outermost leaver broke late on the first turn, and Tetrick immediately right-lined his horse as the field went by the quarter in :26.4, looking to avoid the first-over journey that contributed to “Joemiki”’s recent win. The winner reached the top with one lap to go, passing the half in :55.2 and the three-quarters in 1:22.4 as the top two went clear of their opposition.

Joemikiyoursofine tried hard in the lane, but could get no closer than three quarters of a length at the finish. Christopher Dance N has earnings of $119,015 this year and $337,140 lifetime, and he is trained by Enrico Robinson for Pollack Racing LLC.

The other race featuring a fast last panel was the $13,000 fast-class pacing subfeature, which was won by Gorgeous Big Guy, an altered son of Ashlee’s Big Guy, who closed in :55.2 – :27.3 in a 1:51.1 victory for driver Corey Callahan and many of Sandyboots Yankee’s team: trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

Driving doubles were earned by amateur driver Anthony Verruso, Corey Callahan, and Simon Allard, the last-named of whom cut Tetrick’s advantage at the top of the year’s driver standings in half, with the score now 122-121. Ron Burke posted the above-described double, the only one among conditioners.

Racing at Philly returns Thursday afternoon at 12:25. Free Philly program pages are or will be available at www.phha.org.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From the PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia