There were a trio of $13,500 events for the developing non-winners of five races class on the Thursday (April 13) card at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
A division of trotters were the first of the featured horses to post parade. The American Eagle overcame a lot of time spent away from the inside pylons, taking a new mark of 1:54.2 under the guidance of George Napolitano Jr. Per Engblom, last season’s leading trainer at Philly, conditions the son of Trixton - Dorsay for Consus Racing Stable Inc.
Engblom sent out a second feature winner when the Western Ideal mare Idealinfun, after working hard to get the lead, retained it to the wire ahead of a field of pacing distaffs in a time of 1:53.3. Andrew McCarthy was in the sulky behind the seasonally-debuting four-year-old for Morrison Racing Stables.
An event for pacing males saw the Captaintreacherous gelding R Captain Hanover take full advantage of a rail draw, taking the short way home while leading at every pole and lowering his lifetime best to 1:52.2. Todd McCarthy had the driving assignment for trainer Roy Coyne Jr. and the partnership of Ron Coyne Stables Inc., Blair Corbeil, and Edward Pachuta.
The toteboard had two flairs of brilliance today, one very large – Hurrymiki Hanover came from last to win the third race and pay $131.60 for a $2 win ticket -- and one a bit smaller – Sandradimples overcame the outside post for a $58.20 upset.
Tim Tetrick added to his meet-leading driving win status by visiting the winner's circle four times on the afternoon. (The crowd’s on to Tetrick, though – the four wins combined for a $14.40 mutuel return.)
A pair of $20,000 handicap events for the best fast-class pacers at the riverside oval will headline Friday’s 12:25 p.m. card. The fifth race event for females will find Dresden trying to bounce back from a hard-luck second last time to Kickupyaheels N, who is also in the field. The seventh race contest for males will mark the seasonal debut of the mega-fast Ruthless Hanover, who closed out his 2022 campaign with four straight wins and who last Tuesday qualified over the Philly oval in 1:50 flat. Program pages for all Philly cards are or will be available at the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)