Top free-for-aller Jimmy Freight got a rude reception when returning to the races after two months and a day away on Friday (Aug. 19) at Harrah’s Philadelphia, as J M Mandamin was able to hang a nose victory on him in 1:49.3 to take the $22,500 handicap fast-class pace.

Obviously, races are finally decided at the wire, but you could say J M Mandamin really “won” this race early. Joe Bongiorno had the Mach Three gelding flying out of the gate, and as the field went past the :26.1 opener Bongiorno and his horse pushed on. Jimmy Freight, leaving from the outside in the field of six, didn’t get to the lead until the three-eighths. There was little rest for the pacesetter, as Always And Again made a big move past the :54.2 half and all the way through the 1:21.2 three-quarters.

Jimmy Freight was again slightly clear on the lead after they turned for home, but J M Mandamin had plenty of gas after the two-hole ride, and he was along in the last steps by the slightest of margins, with Southwind Gendry charging late to be another length back. J M Mandamin is trained by Jennifer Bongiorno and owned by Robert Weinstein.

Adriano Sorella, one of Jimmy Freight's co-owners, indicated to Trot Insider after Friday's effort that the pacer will return to Canada for his next start in the eliminations for the 2022 Canadian Pacing Derby slated for Saturday, August 27 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

"Brett [Pelling] was very happy with Jimmy today," said Sorella. "Paced strong to the wire with all that pressure. That's good enough for us."

Pacing mares had their own $22,500 handicap event, won by another pocket-sitter, Fire Start Hanover, in 1:50. The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere was directed to early command by Todd McCarthy and got Betsy Ross winner Majorca N in behind her to a :27 quarter, then yielded to Blue Diamond Eyes, who passed the next two timing poles in :54.3 and 1:22.3.

Majorca N came up to the pacesetter’s right around the turn, and Fire Start Hanover attacked to her left in the stretch, and the latter filly posted a length victory over Majorca N, with Blue Diamond Eyes another length back in third. Nifty Norman trains the winner of 13 of 36 lifetime races and nearly $1.3 million for Pinske Stables, David Hoese, and Lawrence Means.

Those two championship-caliber races, however, didn’t generate the fastest mile of the day; that time, 1:49.2, was posted by another member of Team Bongiorno, the American Ideal gelding Vettel N, owned by JB Racing and Robert Devine. Another fast winner gave both Joe Bongiorno and Todd McCarthy two 1:50 performers on the day, as the Always B Miki gelding Dontpassme Hanover took a new mark of 1:49.4 for McCarthy and trainer Mark Harder, the latter co-owner with Rick Phillips. (Interestingly, none of the 1:50 foursome was favoured in their contests.)

Todd McCarthy had three wins on the card, solidifying his second place standing in the drivers win column at 105. Troy Beyer also had three victories, putting him eighth at 50; he also has nine wins this week, tying him for top in both the weekly standings and the weekly gold-and-green standings with Tim Tetrick, who’s first at the meet with 152 wins.

Sunday’s 12:40 card at Philly will contain three $12,000 divisions of the top-level claiming handicap pace, two $11,200 fast-class pacing events, and four divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club competition. Program pages are available at the PHHA website.

(with files from PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)