Harrah's Philadelphia opened its 2025 harness racing season on Friday, April 11 during a special evening card and the star of the night was eight-time Philly dash-winning champion George Napolitano Jr., currently the leader at Pocono Downs and translating his hot form to the southeast Pennsylvania track with six wins on the 14-race program.

In the headline $19,286 conditioned trot, Napolitano left from post eight and never looked back in rein to the four-year-old You Know You Do gelding Knowyoucando ($5.80), taking over before the quarter and having firm control in the latter stages before stopping the clock in 1:56.2 over a “sloppy +2” surface. Jeff Cullipher trains the Indiana Sire Stakes graduate, now a winner in half his four seasonal starts, for Pollack Racing.

 The four-year-old Bold Eagle gelding Modigliani S ($11.80) got an early spot in the co-featured $17,143 conditioned trot, then made a break, but he recovered quickly and reslotted fifth. Andrew McCarthy (himself visiting Victory Lane three times during the first card of the season) was then able to back out Modigliani S behind the live cover of favourite Give Me A Yankee down the backstretch, followed that one as he went to the lead, then caught him by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.1. Nifty Norman had the trotter ready after more than two months away for owner Lella Montgomery.

Another feature winner driven by Napolitano, All Wrapped Up ($6.40) mastered the $15,714 fast-class field upon reuniting with Harrah’s Philly, making two speed moves and handily defeating opponents with more than $3.5 million in lifetime earnings in a 1:56.1 mile. Joe Bongiorno conditions the nine-year-old Archangel gelding for Jennifer Bongiorno Stable and Howard Taylor.

Napolitano scored his other victories with pacers, including a pair trained by Dean Eckley, veteran Real Lucky N ($10.20) -- the season's first winner -- and Oakwoodnitownit IR ($3.60), along with Duckies Dynasty ($5.40) for Chelsey Faurot and Cheese Omelet ($10.20) for Anthony Defrancesco IV.

Harrah’s Philly concludes its short inaugural opening week on Sunday with a 12:40 p.m. start. Philly will race through June on a schedule of Thursday and Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m., with the exception of being dark on Easter Sunday, April 20 and adding a Saturday card at noon on Kentucky Derby Day, May 3. 

(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)