The up-and-coming horses in the “non-winners of five races lifetime” classification were featured at Harrah’s Philadelphia this afternoon (and into the twilight, complementing the first day of the Breeders' Cup), with a pair of $16,000 contests.
The first was for distaff pacers, and it fell to the Somebeachsomewhere sophomore filly Zutopia in 1:53.3. George Napolitano Jr. sent the sophomore to the top in a :27.2 quarter, then yielded to the favourite Sarpa Hanover as she brushed to command early, hitting the middle splits in :56.3 and 1:24.4, at the latter station being joined by first-over Danikova.
Through the stretch, Napolitano used the inside space to rally Zutopia, with her biggest stretch challenge coming from Painted Lady, who also shot the inside then had to alter outside and finished swiftly between horses to come up a length shy. Danikova was third, a half-length behind Painted Lady and a half-length ahead of Sarpa Hanover.
Zutopia, now a five-time winner this year, is trained by Tom Cancelliere for his brother John.
The track lightning had been turned on by the time the second feature, which was for trotters, went gateward, and Exarch justified the fans’ 2-5 favouritism of him with a win in 1:56.2, but he had to be good late to answer a challenge for pocket-sitting Armageddon Seelster. The latter was actually on top early before yielding to the chalk in :28.4, and the favourite then put up middle clockings of :59 and 1:27.4.
With the relative easy fractions under the guidance of Tony Morgan, it looked like Exarch might be all but home, but Armageddon Seelster gave him a good argument through the lane before finishing second, a neck back.
Ron Burke conditions the winner for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
In a $14,500 conditioned pacers for more seasoned pacing females, Gold Orchid N remained undefeated in four U.S. starts, lowering her Stateside mark to 1:51.2. The daughter of Bettors Delight got away second and left a huge hole most of the way as pacesetter Diamondtoothgertie set fractions of :27.4, :56 and 1:23.4, but driver Dexter Dunn had the four-year-old Kiwi mare in high gear at the last-named station, quickly overhauled the pacesetter on the turn and drew off to a 4-1/2 length victory over Brazuca, who raced inside and had a head on the wire over Nike Franco N -- that one had gapped throughout the race but was flying late.
Gold Orchid N now has six wins in but 21 career starts, with more successes likely in the near future. She is owned by BAMQ Inc., which consists of Barry Freeman, Andrew Steiger, and trainer Mark Harder (the Q is a question mark).
Not only did Milady Denver A provide the biggest price of the afternoon when she took the 12th contest at a $56.60 mutuel for driver Pat Berry, she also provided Guatemala native Fredi Herrera his first-ever training victory. With only six starts since he got his license, all with the winner, Herrera now sports a 372 per cent profit ratio for his backers.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)