Despite having drawn the outside post in the field of eight, Explosive Matter gelding Rich And Miserable was able to reach the top with relative ease in the $14,400 trotting feature at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 1), and he was not threatened late in a 1:53.3 mile.
Driver Tyler Buter hustled the winner of $438,386 to command nearing a :28 opener, then kept him rolling through middle splits of :56.3 and 1:24.4. By the latter station, Rich And Miserable was far ahead of the opposition, and he maintained an insurmountable lead to the finish. Todd Buter trains the victorious trotter for Buter Farm Inc., Lynette Buter, and William and Carol Fuhs.
The Muscle Hill filly Hannah ground her way to the lead at the three-eighths, then kept rolling in the lane with driver Tim Tetrick to win the $12,600 co-featured trot. In victory, Hannah turned back closer Arclight Hanover by three quarters of a length in 1:55.1. Julie Miller conditions the stakes-seasoned filly for the Andy Miller Stable Inc., Dumain Haven Farm, and Little E LLC.
Deltasun A and driver Todd McCarthy, both recent transfers from Australia to the United States, teamed to make the trotter’s local bow a winning one, as he overhauled the favoured pacesetter Max by a neck in 1:54 in an $11,600 event. Andrew Harris conditions the Tenotrump gelding, an earner of $189,634 and a high-ratio winner (20 for 54, 37% lifetime), for his A Harris Racing LLC, OB Standardbreds, and Michael Goldberg Racingllc.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)