The 2019 Hambletonian champion, Forbidden Trade, didn’t find the outside post eight too much to overcome as he won the $16,200 handicap trotting feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon.

Big Oil, himself a world record setter at two in 2019, made the 4-5 favourite work for control of the racetrack, but after the :26.4 opening quarter driver Bob McClure was able to give the millionaire a soft middle half, with fractions of :55.3 and 1:24.4. Turning on the speed down the stretch, the victorious son of Kadabra came home in :28 to complete the mile in 1:52.4, with Big Oil 1-1/4 lengths back.

This was the first seasonal victory for Forbidden Trade, but he’s had three quality starts in 2021: a fourth in the Cutler from post ten, a third in the Maxie Lee here after going uncovered to a stretch lead, and now this triumph. Luc Blais trains the winner of $1,345,082 for owner Determination.

In the faster of a pair of $14,400 co-featured trots, the Bar Hopping three-year-old colt Arnold N Dicky, who had gone a 1:54 world record-equalling mile at Delaware last year, came within two-fifths of a second of the local track record for his group, set by Googoo Gaagaa, with an authoritative 1:52.3 victory.

Driver Victor Kirby, whose three wins on the day was exceeded only by local leading driver Tim Tetrick with four, rushed Arnold N Dicky to the lead by the :56.2 half, and then the swift sophomore came home in :56.1 with powerful strides to stamp himself a consideration for the national stakes scene. Hall of Fame Chuck Sylvester trains the winner and is co-owner with Amy Stoltzfus and Linda Goldman.

With favoured Shikansen making an early break, driver Corey Callahan pointed the Father Patrick mare Cocktails N Dreams right to the lead and kept her there from early until late, reducing her mark a tick to 1:55.2 while winning the other co-feature. Katricia Adams trains the consistent distaff for Benjamin Gordon and Never Too Late Racing LLC.

(With files from PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia)