Three-year-old trotter Greenma, second by a nose to divisional leader Emoticon Legacy in his Hambletonian elimination, found the company in the featured $18,750 conditioned trot for “non-winners of five races” much more to his liking, as he won as trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer pleased in 1:54.4.
Smedshammer kept Greenma steady into the first turn then sent him up quickly, gaining the lead and putting up early numbers of :29.1 and :58.2. The competition began to melt one by one as Greenma went to the three-quarters in 1:26.3. As he turned for home, he had a 3-1/2-length lead, which remained intact to the wire with Santa Cristina and Manoah rounding out the top three.
A Greenshoe-Ma Was Right gelding, Greenma now has five wins and five seconds in 15 seasonal starts and surpassed the $200,000 mark in career earnings for owner Purple Haze Stable of Fairport, New York.
In the $18,056 trot for fast-class performers, the three-year-old Walner-Speak To Me filly Walspea, second in the Hambletonian Oaks, exceed the specifications of the developmental trot and thus have to race against more seasoned performers. And she defeated them, too, in 1:53.4, giving Smedshammer and Purple Haze a feature double (this one is co-owned by M3 Racing Stable of Berlin, Ohio).
Mr Bluebird, in search of his fifth straight win, flew to the early lead, made the quarter in :27.2 then backed the half off to :57.1. Favourite Usain Hanover made a big move in early backstretch but then jumped it off, giving Smedshammer a chance to move his filly outside before the 1:25.4 third pole. Though Mr Bluebird held strongly in the :28 last quarter, Walspea earned a 1-1/2-length decision to raise her lifetime earnings over $380,000.
There were three $16,667 races for the “non-winners of three races” class, two on the trot and one for pacing fillies. In the faster of the trots, the freshman Tactical Landing-Amber Ella colt Southwind Alamo took on older foes and made it look easy, grinding to the lead and then drawing off to a clear 1:56 victory. Johnathan Ahle had the sulky duty for trainer Ron Coyne Jr. and the ownership of Coyne And Pachuta Stable of Allentown, New Jersey, Blair Corbeil of Leduc, Alta., Richard Carney of Hartsdale, New York and Mike McAllister of Beaumont, Alta.
In the other division of the sub-feature trot for developing horses, the Bar Hopping-Dab Hanover sophomore filly Demarara Hanover kept grinding uncovered, made the lead in the stretch, then held off the late-charging Berry Good News to win by a half-length in 1:59. Corey Callahan was in the sulky for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Knox Services of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, Fac Racing of Scarsdale, New York and Jandt Silva - Purnel And Libby of Ocean Ridge, Florida.
In the section of this class for pacing distaffs, another two-year-old proved victorious: JK Fierce Lady, a daughter of Captaintreacherous and JK First Lady (who’s a daughter of Horse of the Year JK Shesalady). Her pedigree came through in her race, in which she was put on the lead just past the quarter by George Napolitano Jr. and had more than enough to keep pocket-sitting Make It Right a length at bay under the wire in 1:54.4. JK Fierce Lady is trained by Nancy Takter for 3 Brothers Stable of NEw York City, New York.
Corey Callahan took sulky honours on the day with three successful steers while two-time driving winners were Tony Morgan, Trond Smedshammer and Åke Svanstedt. The two Scandinavians both sent out a pair of winners from their barns.
Harrah’s Philadelphia will be back racing on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. Racing will continue on Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m. next week, and then Thursday will be re0added to the mix with post time at 12:25 p.m.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)