The Always B Miki sophomore gelding Toronto sat just off of a torrid midrace battle, moved to the lead at the three-quarters, and then drew away to take a new sub-1:50 mark in the $14,400 featured pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday afternoon.
Toronto and driver Marcus Miller got to the front then yielded to sit in the pocket behind Tyronsbitoflemon N, who smoked the opening panel in :25.4. And the front-end battling took no respite, as Literl Lad Hanover came on a quarter-move, but was given the cold shoulder by the Kiwi import to a scorching half in :53.
When Literl Lad Hanover melted back, Miller brought the 6-5 favourite Toronto out of the pocket, and the pair crossed over to the lead just past a three-quarters in 1:21. Mad Man Hill, who had tucked in the early action and was the next horse near the front, rallied for second but was 3-1/4 lengths off the 1:49.1 winner, who is trained by Robert Cleary for Royal Wire Products Inc.
Pat Berry and Todd McCarthy were the biggest driving winners on the day, coming home first three times each. As for George Napolitano Jr., his quest to become the 26th driver to reach the $100 million mark in career driving earnings got another boost on the Friday card, as he is now on the doorstep at $99,993,240. Napolitano seems likely to reach the milestone at PHHA sister track Pocono on Saturday (Oct. 16), where he has eight horses rated among the 13 races’ top two choices.
Sunday at Philly, there is a $16,200 handicap pacing feature, with Jacks Legend N, who has been in excellent form on half-mile tracks recently, returns to the oval where he took his mark of 1:49 last year and was victorious in 1:49.1 earlier this season. Program pages for the 12:40 card are available on the PHHA website.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)