With Harrah’s Philadelphia being dark for live racing this coming Sunday afternoon, after the Breeders Crown Championships at sister PHHA track Pocono the night before, the southeast Pennsylvania oval was able to stage a power-packed card for the short week’s finale, with the $18,000 featured pacing classes for both “the girls” and “the boys” appearing on the Friday’s program.
It was ”ladies first” in the chronological race presentation, and the other distaffs chased a very tough winner in the form of the McArdle mare Lispatty, who won her second straight local start in emphatic fashion.
Eric Carlson, who joined with Yannick Gingras in having three victories to lead the day’s drivers (Gingras’ triple all for trainer Ron Burke), sent Lispatty straight to the front, and after a :27.4 quarter, the winner of $634,265 “stole” the half in :57.2 – ensuring she would be tough to catch. In fact, from there she sprinted the third quarter in :27.4 to hit the pole into the far turn in 1:25.1, then really ignited the afterburners, opening a five-length lead at the stretch call and finishing out in :26.4 to remain clear of second-place Nike Franco N.
Gilbert Garcia-Herrera conditions the fast mare for his son, owner Gilbert Garcia-Owen.
The feature event for the males figured to be a wide-open event, with the Mach Three gelding Sprinter N accorded slight morning line favouritism at 7-2. And Sprinter N did indeed live up to his name and the early backing, winning on the engine in 1:50.2 for driver Marcus Miller – but as the third choice.
The second choice Cruise Patrol rode in the pocket behind fractions of :27.1, :55 and 1:22.1, with the winner actually headed by race favourite and first-over Abraxas Blues A at the latter station. But the Aussie faded after challenging the Kiwi, and in the end it was Cruise Patrol who proved the biggest threat to Sprinter N, but he could get no close than 1-1/2 lengths behind at the wire.
Ross Croghan conditions the winner, now with earnings of $98,350 this year and $297,482 in his career, for the Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Mr. Dana Parham.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)