Trainer/driver Jeff Gregory swept the $16,000 featured trots at Harrah’s Philadelphia with P L Ketchup and Turville Hanover on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 23), but almost everything else was won by the track’s leading driver, Tim Tetrick, who notched seven victories during the 13-race program.
Tetrick was on fire from the opening bell, as he went out and won the first three races on the card, and then captured races nine through twelve to get to his seven-bagger.
Tetrick now leads George Napolitano Jr. 271-238 at the top of the track’s 2019 drivers’ win column, and looks to be in good position to win his sixth dash title at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Napolitano has won seven crowns – in fact, they are the only two drivers since the inaugural year of the racetrack (2006) to be Philly dash-winning champions (Cat Manzi took the title in that first meet).
In terms of the featured trots, Kadabra gelding P L Ketchup had come into his Wednesday assignment off of a ‘sick’ scratch – and in his last 45 starts over the last two years had three wins and 11 seconds – but all systems were ‘go.’ The trotter, who has now switched to Gregory’s barn, promptly went to the lead and trotted to a new life’s mark of 1:53.3 on Wednesday.
Gregory came back in the trainer/driver role with the Cantab Hall sophomore gelding Turville Hanover, and guided his student to his sixth win of the year after having not raced at age two. Turville Hanover made the front nearing the quarter, set a moderate half, then came home in :57.3 to complete a 1:56.2 victory by three and a quarter lengths.
(With files from PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)