Despite the harsh conditions, seven winners either lowered or equaled their lifetime marks in the dank Friday (Oct. 29) conditions at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Anthony Morgan, second on the North American all-time list of harness drivers, notched career win #16,884, his first in over three months since being sidelined by a barn accident, with the mercurial Classic in 1:50.4 for trainer Charlene Sharpe and Mason Shaw, now in his tenth year of Standardbred ownership at age nine (there’s no typo there).

The Bar Hopping sophomore gelding World Bank rallied from the pocket to catch Ceffyl Dwr by a neck in winning the $14,400 featured trot in a lifetime best 1:56.1.

Ceffyl Dwr headed right down the road from an inner draw and put up splits of :29, :58.1, and 1:27.3 over an oval that had just been downgraded to “good +2” before the race; Marcus Miller got World Bank into the two-hole, waited until the stretch, and then closed late to post the 15-1 upset for trainer Steve Le Blanc and owner Dr. William Solomon.

There were two divisions of a $12,600 co-feature; the event on the trot saw the Sebastian K S sophomore filly R Speed Of Light make an uncovered move at the speed of light against the wind to get the lead down the backstretch, then trot off to a 4-3/4 length victory in 1:56.2, a lowering of his mark. Trainer/driver Todd Schadel co-owns the Pennsylvania fair circuit graduate with his wife Christine and Rick and Regina Beinhauer.

In the co-feature for pacing distaffs, the Always B Miki three-year-old filly Odds On Aretha set the pace until the three-quarters, where she was passed by uncovered foe Captainandtelly, but “Aretha” would find more late to get by that rival by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:54.1. George Napolitano Jr., top driver on the day at Philly with three victories, guided the winner of three straight for trainer Tony Alagna and Odds On Racing.

Sunday’s racing at Philly is topped by a $15,300 pace for fillies and mares in the springboard “nw 8 races lifetime” class; fast-class performers will race for a $13,000 in a supporting feature. Program pages for the 12:40 card will be available on the PHHA website.

(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)