Filippo flies in Arden Downs

Filippo Hanover, a $6,000 Adios yearling sale acquisition, became an Adios day winner when he took the fastest division of the $91,612 Arden Downs Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts Saturday at The Meadows in 1:53.4.

The event, known as the Gov. David L. Lawrence, featured four divisions, with Mattdultery, Take Five and Just Plug It In capturing the other splits.

Winless in his first three starts, Filippo Hanover now has ripped off three consecutive wins, including two stakes victories. Trainer-driver Ray Paver hopes it’s a sign of growing maturity.

“He’s had the speed but he’s been hard to steer,” said Paver of the Arturo colt he owns with David Wills and James Richard Hess. “The more starts he’s getting, the better he is. He’ll get on a line, run one way, then the other. Today’s probably the best he’s been, steering-wise. I was able to leave a little bit with him. He just doesn’t get tired so far.”

In the Gov. Lawrence, Filippo Hanover powered up first-over from third to wrest the lead from Sutter Hanover and score by 1 1/2 lengths. Sutter Hanover held place while Malek Hanover found late racing room to finish third.

Mattdultery survived a demanding first quarter—parked in :27—and scored a 1 1/4-length victory over Real Man for driver Ron Pierce and trainer George Teague Jr. William Camp Jr., Teague Inc. and Double Down Stables own the son of Real Desire.

“He was a little tricky-gaited early,” Teague said of the $32,000 yearling acquisition, “and when he gets to the front end, he gets a little lonely. But he’s fast. Speed has always been his best feature. As soon as he settles down and learns exactly what he should do, I think he’ll be all right.”

Take Five had several rivals stacked on the outside in an eventful first quarter, but driver David Miller wouldn’t turn them loose.

“The ones that were out there I didn’t really want to follow, so I kept going,” Miller said. “I’m glad they retreated.”

They couldn’t pass Take Five then—or at any other time. He prevailed in 1:54.3 by three-quarters of a length over Idealic Life, with Eternal Revenue in third.

The son of Western Hanover caught the eye of owner George Leon at the yearling auction in Harrisburg. Leon gave $45,000 for the youngster, largely without the advice of trainer Mickey Burke.

“George bought him basically on his own,” said Ron Burke, assistant trainer for the Burke stable. “Looks like he was right. The horse has raced effectively. He taps a knee here and there, but he has plenty of go. He has one big race at Lexington. We’re a little excited about that because we think the mile track will be a better stage for him. I do think he’ll be a late bloomer. Next year he could be the colt who could step up and take off.”

(Meadows release)

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