Seven of the nine non-feature races held at Harrah’s Philadelphia over off going on Friday afternoon (Nov. 12) saw the leader at the half go on to victory – but such was the case in none of the three featured races, each worth $12,600.
On the trot, the Andover Hall gelding Chocos Choice was kept third-inside by driver David Miller (who led the local driving colony Friday with three winners), then was sent up the passing lane to post a two-length victory over 23-1 shot Integer in 1:58.1. The winner has now won four of his last seven starts for trainer Jim Groff and owner Bernard O’Brien.
In the pace for male performers, the Somebeachsomewhere three-year-old gelding Six Degrees latched on to the cover of favoured Last Bet, with What About David tailing that pair, and in the stretch Six Degrees took over then withstood What About David by a length in 1:54, with Last Bet finishing third. Marcus Miller handled driving duties for trainer Bob Krenitsky Jr., who had the horse ready after a 20-day layoff for the ownership of Trotters Capital Group, Jay Vaughn, Shane Caylor and Walter Cyphers.
In the distaff pacing feature, Rocket Roulette worked behind the cover of first-up Fasterthanarumor, who took over the lead from favoured Skyy on the far turn but then could not hold off the horse on her back as Rocket Roulette won by 1-3/4 lengths in a lifetime best of 1:55. On the largely formful day, Rocket Roulette’s $101.80 win mutuel was more than the combined payoffs of the other 11 winners, with Mike Simons engineering the upset behind the Cams Rocket mare for trainer John Marsh and owner Carolin Oglesby.
The last card of the racing week at Harrah’s Philadelphia will take place Sunday at 12:40 p.m. The featured $13,000 pace has 2019 Little Brown Jug winner Southwind Ozzi dropping in class and starting as the 5-2 favourite. There will also be an event for the American Harness Drivers Club of amateur horsepeople on the card. Program pages for Sunday’s card are available on the PHHA website.
(With files from PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)