Harrah's Philadelphia is now presenting a Friday series for $10,000 USD pacing claimers, with three preliminary rounds worth $8,000 USD a division, leading up to a $12,500 USD championship (and $10,000 USD consolations) on Nov. 30 for those doing best in the prelims.
After five divisions of the first prelim last Friday, Philly hosted the second preliminary round on Friday afternoon seven divisions strong and now several important things are known about the competing horses. There have been a dozen prelims in the first two weeks and there have been 12 different horses winning. No winner in the competitive racing on Friday won any of the seven divisions by more than a length.
The only winner on Friday who was claimed was also the only favourite in the septet of races and he won over the only horse who won and was claimed last week – and that one is now going back to his “other” owners after being reclaimed. The only winning chalk in the series on Friday was Just Bet It All, who was dropped from a $15,000 USD tag to this series’ $10,000 USD selling price, and he promptly won in 1:54.3 for driver Simon Allard. Trainer Besim Odza was the only conditioner to harness a pair of winners Friday -- but he will not be training Just Bet It All this coming week. A half-length behind him was Alliance, who now has two nice finishes in this series, and who returned to the trainer who won with him in the first round.
The fastest series winner this week was Brookdale Seb, who had been racing in series action – but that was in the Winter Is Coming Pacing Series at Pocono Downs. Going to the claiming ranks here (he had won for a $12,500 USD tag three starts back), the Jill Wine trainee got the job done in 1:52.3 by a length while defeating In Rock We Trust after setting a fast pace and rolling right along, and was not claimed.
George Napolitano Jr., who led all drivers on Friday with three victories, drove Brookdale Seb to the quick victory and he won another series division with Real Lucky N, recording the second-fastest series clocking, 1:53.
Simon Allard also won two divisions in the claiming series; besides Just Bet It All, he guided Kingston Panic to a 1:55.2 tally.
Jack Pelling also drove two of the series winners: Sporty Dragon in 1:54.3 and Boiler Maker in 1:54 in the closest decision in Friday’s series racing, a head ahead of Sea Storm.
Capital Builder completed the second leg’s activity by winning in 1:53.2 for driver Mark Herschberger.
Including Just Bet It All and Alliance, there was a total of four series horses claimed on Friday. That number is liable to significantly rise next Friday, as owners and trainers will have a better sense of who are likely to be the top contenders for the championship and they can prepare their chequebooks accordingly.
Philly’s leading driver Tim Tetrick was also among the sulky doublers on Friday's 14-race card.
The racing week at Philly concludes with a Sunday card at 12:40 p.m., with the spotlight on male pacers, both developing and established.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)