No horse or horseperson will ever turn down the misfortune of others as good luck helping towards a victory, but it’s indeed likely the sophomore filly Sparks would have won under any circumstances as she took the featured $16,667 conditioned trot on Friday, June 19 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

In a seven-horse field, two broke near the start, another broke past the half, and a fourth horse couldn’t keep up past the half. Sparks (Walner-Sheer Energy) was sitting third of the “survivors,” was moved outside by driver Johnathan Ahle late on the backstretch, and put in consecutive last quarters of :27.4 to win safely in 1:56. The Åke Svanstedt trainee, a winner of a Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile last year with no racing luck in her first two sophomore starts in the New Jersey Sire Stakes, is co-owned by Åke Svanstedt Inc., with Journey Horses, Graham Grace Stables and Joe Sbrocco And JAF Racing. R Candy (Tim Tetrick) and Nose Jammer (Todd Schadel) rounded out the top three finish order.

Fast-class pacing mares had their turn in the Philly spotlight in a $13,889 contest, which was taken by favoured Blood Moon A in 1:52. The eight-year-old daughter of Pet Rock-Classis Shark left with speed and purpose to ensure she would retain the engine throttle, then went on to identical :28 quarters in covering the last half while in control. Tim Tetrick got the job done with the Enrico Robinson trainee for Pollack Racing. Lous Lucky Girl (Simon Allard) was the runner-up and Prideful (Patrick Ryder) took third.

Friday got off to a very fast start at Philly when Hungry Marco went wire-to-wire in the seasonal local debut for the freshman pacing male set, stepping home in :27.2 to complete the mile in 1:54.2, which ties him with the filly Banana Beach as the fastest freshman of a five-eighth mile track to date. The Stay Hungry-Always Giggling colt is a three-quarter brother to Gigglingonthebeach, a triple stakes winner at two and three and a Breeders Crown finalist at two. Art Stafford Jr. guided the impressive baby for trainer Jamie Sullivan and owners David Hamm, Glenn Phillips and Frank Chick.

The division for side-wheeling freshman fillies also produced an excellent show as Treacherous Bet, a daughter of Captaintreacherous-Bet On Sunday (who has many impressive names not far back in her pedigree), was just along to catch the two-moving Cowboy Candy by a neck in 1:55.4, coming her last quarter in :27. Andrew McCarthy had the lines for trainer Noel Daley, also part of the partnership package with Patricia Stables, Sjoeblom Racing and Michael Dolan.

Grand Moni, a sophomore Walner-Grandmas Moni colt whose third dam is the legendary Moni Maker, is unbeaten in two career starts, both this year, after a 1:55.4 mile, going to the top nearing the second turn and winning by a safe margin with Tim Tetrick judging the late chargers not to have enough into the :28.3 kicker. Trainer Nancy Takter is a co-owner with Stall Droad Inc.

Meet leader Tim Tetrick guided home five winners on the day, two of them for the only trainer who had a pair of winners, Scott Di Domenico. George Napolitano Jr. drove three success stories and Simon Allard arrived home first twice.

Father’s Day Sunday will see several specials and “added attractions” joining the live racing, which will feature a $13,500 USD pace for the up-and-coming set and a $13,000 USD fast-class pace. 

(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)