On a day with a strong stretch headwind that caused slow final fractions, millionaire Ari Ferrari J both started and finished strongly to win the $22,222 Winners Over Handicap Trot on “Trottin’ Thursday,” June 18 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Tyler Buter, the leading driver at Pocono taking a rare sojourn south, was three-wide to the eighth-mile marker and out until a :26.3 quarter with the son of Walner-Dream Child, as he wanted the favourite to control the pace. Ari Ferrari J clicked off the middle splits of :56 and 1:23.3, then came home in :28.2 (tied for the second-fastest final panel of the day) to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Benjamin Hanover (Tim Tetrick) in 1:52. Shoresy (Andrew McCarthy) was third.

Ari Ferrari J, winner of multiple Grand Circuit stakes, scored his first win in four outings this season for trainer Tony Alagna and owner Kenneth Jacobs. He is now 17-for-65 lifetime with $1,463,256 in earnings. The win price was $2.20.

Andrew McCarthy scored five victories on the Thursday card, including two for trainer Per Engblom. McCarthy and Engblom captured the $18,750 conditioned dash for the up-and-coming class with the four-year-old Manofmanymissions-Zante Trio gelding Geronimo Trio It ($2.60). He utilized pocket-rocket tactics to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56 for owner Tar Heel Racing. McCarthy opened his account with the Engblom-trained Calgary Sun ($3.20) and also won with Gandhi ($5), You Got It ($4.60) and Ice Venere ($4.60). The reinsman is 48-for-304 so far this year.

In the $15,972 conditioned event for the fast-class diamondgaiters, Mrmayor Hanover ($6.60) was sent to the lead by Patrick Ryder, got a slow second quarter, then was able to hold off favoured Go For Broke (Andrew McCarthy) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55.2. The winning  seven-year-old Explosive Matter-Mrs Ronerail gelding is trained by Chuck Crissman Jr. for Sartin Racing LLC.

The $19,444 conditioned sub-feature for the developing trotters proved the stylistic anomaly of the day, as the sophomore Captain Corey-Jordan Blue Chip colt Captain Jordan ($15) found himself dead last in the field of seven, 9-1/4 lengths behind, with a quarter-mile to go. But Tim Tetrick eased him clear then sent him widest, and he trotted a :28 hole into the wind to win by a half-length while taking a new mark of 1:54.1. Trainer Scott Di Domenico’s Triple D Stables Inc. co-owns the winner with Joe Faraldo.

The two-year-old trotters inaugurated the local freshman pari-mutuel season on the card. The Mets Hall-Jesses Con gelding Uncle Rob ($3.40) got a slow half then proved uncatchable in 2:00.2, a maiden mark, for trainer Julie Miller and driver Andy Miller. Andy Miller Stable Inc. owns the promising youngster. The filly winner went faster, as the Captain Corey-Armatrading miss Cuckoos Nest flew over her field in 1:58.3 with an own last half of :57 in her first betting contest. Tim Tetrick piloted the filly for trainer Anette Lorentzon and owners Bedell Conboy and Polly Hilliard.

Eric Ell joined Engblom as a conditioning double winner. Philly’s leading driver Tim Tetrick checked home first four times, while Andy Miller reached the wire first twice.

Friday’s Philly card will feature a trot for developing horses, a fast-class mares pace, and the first betting appearance of both sexes of pacers. There will also be a carryover into the first race Superfecta.

(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia; photo of Ari Ferrari J winning on June 6)