The Bar Hopping-Chelsees A Winner gelding Hey Porter got a rough welcome from his Harrah’s Philadelphia foes upon coming in from Plainridge Racecourse to compete in the $18,056 conditioned handicap feature trot on Thursday, Aug. 13, but he overcame a hard trip to win in 1:52.3.

Handicapped with post six in the six-horse field, Hey Porter and driver Mark Herschberger left outside of Sapphirerainstar (Simon Allard) and Kierkegaard K (Jonathan Ahle), next in the wagering to the favoured winner, and those two forced Hey Porter to take back into the three-hole. Kierkegaard K eventually got around his hard-charging early foe and set fractions of :26.4 and :56.1.

Hey Porter was back out uncovered mid-backstretch, before the 1:24.1 three-quarters, and went on a determined grind, just having too much and getting up by a length over Sapphirerainstar, who just caught Kierkegaard K for second. 

Hey Porter, trained by Enrico Robinson for Pollack Racing LLC, now has career earnings of $447,417 with 11 wins from 36 starts. The four-year-old paid $4.60 to win.

In a $16,667 event for developing trotters, the four-year-old Southwind Frank-Glowngold mare On Golden Pond ($6.60) swept four-wide from last past the three quarters and picked up her opposition to win going away in a life’s best 1:56.1. Trae Porter sensed he had plenty of horse left despite the four-year-old mare being away from the races for almost two months, fed her wide racetrack, and On Golden Pond proved equal to the task in her first start for owner Ronald Borduc and trainer Marc Mosher.

Corey Callahan and Mark Herschberger tied for driving honours on the 14-race card with three victories. Johnathan Ahle and Patrick Ryder each visited the winners circle two times.

The two-year-old pacing colts and geldings in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes come to Philly for their third preliminary round on Friday. Double winner Starstruck Dreamer, coming off a fantastic 1:49.4 victory at Pocono Downs, figures to be the horse to beat in the $129,892 USD single Sire Stakes split, which will be complemented by five Stallion Series sectors worth $20,000 USD each.

(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia; photo of Hey Porter winning on June 30)