The Dragon Reborn certainly got a break when he drew the rail for the $19,718 featured conditioned pace for class-climbers on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 2 at Harrah’s Philadelphia. He needed only one more break in the race, and after that he maximized his ability to score a 1:51.2 victory.

Pack A Punch (George Napolitano Jr.) shot right out to the lead, with Moving On Over (Jonathan Ahle) getting away second and The Dragon Reborn third for Art Stafford Jr. Then nearing the :26.2 quarter, The Dragon Reborn got his break as Moving On Over lost his gait, putting the son of Bettors Delight-My Little Dragon in the golden chair as Pack A Punch carved out fractions of :55.2 and 1:23.1. Towards the latter station, Pack A Punch faced an uncovered bid from favourite Ayr Dave GB (Simon Allard).

Pack A Punch had been off for two months before this race and could not continue on as Ayr Dave GB started to take over entering the stretch. But Stafford guided The Dragon Reborn to the inside and the pacer exploded with a fine last eighth to go 1-3/4 lengths clear of the chalk while missing his mark by just a tick. Seaworthy Hanover (Mark Herschberger) finished third over Pack A Punch.

Tyler Davis trains The Dragon Reborn, who notched his second win of the season from 21 starts, for owner J And T Davis of Smyra, Delaware. The five-year-old stallion now has eight career victories and earnings of $143,975.

Obliterate, a Perfect Sing-Triple V Hanover colt coming off a nigh-impossible two-move trip in his Meadowlands Pace elimination, found the $19,014 sub-class for developing younger pacers more to his liking, although he had to work hard to withstand the closing Half Past Midnight (Johnathan Ahle) by a half length in 1:49.4. PA Luke (Troy Beyer) put in breakneck fractions of :26, :54.2 and 1:21.2 but couldn’t sustain in the lane; Obliterate started an uncovered bid late in backstretch, made the lead before mid-stretch, then held off the closer and pocket-sitter Good Friday (Corey Callahan) -- in the photo for second -- to win for driver Patrick Ryder, trainer Chris Ryder and owners Robert Mondillo of Delaware, Ohio, Craig Henderson, of Chicago, Illinois and FAC Racing of Scarsdale, New York. Unraced as two-year-old, Obliterate boasts a six-figure bankroll and is now five-for-12.

Taranaki had won two straight at the $18,310 purse level for fast-class veteran pacers; however, his drawing the outside post eight against a talented group may have caused the public to let him go at 5-1. But with a sharp turn of early foot, the roan son of Huntsville-Free Fi Girl overcame his starting slot, setting fractions of :26.3, :55 and 1:22.2 before crossing the wire first under no imminent danger in 1:50. Johnathan Ahle guided the five-year-old pacer for trainer Paul Jessop, who is also the co-owner with Laurie Molnar of Colts Neck, New Jersey.

George Napolitano Jr. came home first three times, twice for trainer Dean Eckley; other driver-trainer pairings for doubles were Simon Allard with Joseph Columbo, and amateur driver William Clark Jr. guiding two from his own barn. Corey Callahan also had a sulky double.

There will be $211,814 USD on the line when the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series hold their second prelim round for two-year-old trotting fillies as “Trottin’ Thursday” takes on an even bigger meaning at Philly – all 15 races will be conducted for diamond-gaited horses. The first round Sire Stakes winners, Birr Castle and Miss Eliza, drew in separate PASS divisions, which will be joined by five Stallion Series sections. There will be a carryover into the fifth race Pick 5 wager. 

(With files from PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia)