Briefs
Stopperich tied for 3rd at WPGA Open
An eagle on the par-5 18th hole has Alec Stopperich in a four-way tie for third place at 3-under 69 after Tuesday’s first round of the 116th WPGA Open Championship at Valley Brook Country Club in McMurray.
A 2016 graduate of Peters Township High School, Stopperich birdied three holes and bogeyed two others to only trail leaders Daniel Obremski and Devin Gee by one stroke.
Tied with Stopperich, who is entering his senior year at Samford University, are Beau Titsworth, Matt Holuta, TJ Howe and Rob McClellan.
Venetia resident Jimmy Ellis is at one-under through 18 holes. McMurray’s Brett Carman and Tom Nettles are at even par.
At The Meadows
Real Cool Sam won the battle of unbeaten young trotters Tuesday at The Meadows when he overpowered Can’t Say No down the backside and kept him at bay late in a $188,016 Pennsylvania Sires Stake for freshman colts and geldings. His time of 1:55.2 matched the stake record established by What’s The Word in 2017.
In the other divisions of the event known as the Hickory Pride, Ake Svanstedt scored a training/driving double with Gangster Hanover and King Alphonso.
In the Hickory Pride, Gangster Hanover had little trouble fashioning a front-end victory in 1:55.3 in his career debut. S Class was second, 1-1/4 lengths back, with Patriarch Hanover third. Svanstedt owns Gangster Hanover with SRF Stable and Brittany Farms.
Svansted gave King Alphonso a 30.3 second-quarter breather, and the son of Muscle Hill-Amour Heiress needed every bit of it in his pari-mutuel bow, holding off Dublin by a nose in 1:57.1. Hell Patrol completed the ticket.
“Downtown” Brady Brown piloted three winners – including a pair at 22-1 and 21-1 – on the 14-race card.