“Trottin’ Thursday,” Aug. 20 marked the beginning of another three-card racing week at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with both the International Moni-Aarena Hanover gelding Arrowhead Hanover and Mark Herschberger giving strong performances.

Troy Beyer had Arrowhead Hanover in the $18,056 conditioned feature for the fast-class older set. The four-year-old Daniel Munson trainee started quickly and made the lead, then yielded near the :27.4 quarter but regained command and got a breather to a :57.2 half. Cheers Hanover (Herschberger) started a strong uncovered move before the middle of the backstretch, past a 1:25.1 three quarters, and all the way to the line, but came up three parts of a length shy on the money. Millionaire mare and favourite Elista Hanover (Jeremy Morrison) trotted her own back half in :54.4 but had too much ground to make up and settled for third. Arrowhead Hanover, owned by Thestable Arrowheadhanovr, is now 13-for-59 lifetime. He paid $4.20 to win.

Mark Herschberger visited victory lane six times on the 14-race card. He started the day with a tally behind the Captain Corey-Lenny Mac colt Captain Action ($14.80), who went his own back half in :57.4 uncovered to win for the first time in three starts by 1-1/2 lengths. He stopped the timer in 1:59 for trainer Andrew Harris, who is also co-owner with Ray Lasky and Nathan Cockerham.

Herschberger also won a $16,667 conditioned contest for developing diamondgaiters with the sophomore Gimpanzee-Thisladysdynamite filly Atomic Blue Chip ($5). She returned from Kentucky and earned a half-length decision over Saint Patrick (Patrick Ryder) in 1:56.3, a new mark. Annie Stoebe trains the winner for Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc.

Shes Gone ($18), Captain Flirt ($2.40), Father Stosh ($4.80) and Barbossa Hanover ($4.60) were the other Herschberger winners. The 31-year-old pilot, now third in the Philly standings, chopped into second-placed Simon Allard’s advantage for the deuce spot behind runaway leader Tim Tetrick.

The Walner-Beyond Magic filly Chica Bonita ($4) had little rest in her $16,667 rookie trot but still turned back Passion Storm (Patrick Ryder) by three-quarters of a length to take a maiden mark of 1:57.3 for driver Troy Beyer, trainer Juan Cano and owners Nancy Grbelja and Cano Racing Stable LLC.

Troy Beyer, fourth in the Philly standings, won three times, with doubles posted by Patrick Ryder and Russell Foster. Scott Brockwell, who trains only horses he owns, had the only conditioning double.

Distaffs will be in the spotlight for Friday’s 12:25 p.m.card at Philly. On Sunday at 12:40, two-year-old trotting males line up for the fourth and final preliminaries of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes/Stallion Series, trying to earn their way into their rich Championships in early September.

(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia; photo of Mark Herschberger after winning six races on Nov. 28, 2025)