Svanstedt trotters impress with big wins in Philly Q’s

CHESTER PA – Yo, Tillie – a top-class three-year-old trotting filly qualified Tuesday morning at Harrah’s Philadelphia, and she may soon be in the hunt again in the major fall stakes.

The Muscle Hill distaff What A Bid Hanover has already shown her quality on several occasions: second in her Breeders Crown qualifier and then fourth in the final (after being tenth and three-wide at the three-quarters) and winning the Goldsmith Maid at two, and this year taking a New Jersey Sire Stakes (and third in the final after again being tenth three-wide with a quarter left) and a division of the Delvin Miller (in 1:51.4). She has often been her own worst enemy with breaks and a lack of gaining early position.

What A Bid Hanover had no such problems Tuesday at Philly, heading down the road in :30.4, :59.4. 1:28 and 1:56.3 – and if a horse gains any confidence from a margin of victory, the 25 3/4 length triumph would certainly be a boost to the Åke Svanstedt-driven and -trained filly. (2024 Breeders Crown winner Lady Landia was also in the race but did not go.)

Another Svanstedt horse to watch who won a qualifier Tuesday at Philly is Get A Wish DK, a son of Wishing Stone who made his mark in Europe to the extent that he raced in the 2023 and 2024 Yonkers International Trots. He was matched against top free-for-allers upon coming to campaign Stateside earlier this year, and now is back and showing he is ready for racing with a wire-to-wire effort of :29.1, 1:00.1, 1:28.2, and 1:55.4 (:55.3 – :27.2 on the back end), winning by “only” 23¼ lengths for Svanstedt.

Redwood Hanover, a son of Stay Hungry who had faced Open company at Woodbine Mohawk and Hoosier, made his first start for trainer Per Engblom an impressive one with splits of :28.3, :58.1, 1:24.4 before finishing in 1:51.1 (back half :53, back quarter :26.2) with Petter Engblom driving.

The Tuesday Philly qualifiers can be watched through www.phha.org.

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

From the PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia