The Father Patrick sophomore filly Sister Christina, who had had three wins and two seconds prior to miscuing in her previous start, bounced back in a big way on Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, winning the $14,400 featured trot in 1:56.2.
Corey Callahan wanted the lead with Sister Christina and worked most of the :28.3 quarter to wrest the lead from favoured Ceffyl Dwr, then rated the half to :58.3. The filly increased her speed to hit the three-quarters in 1:27, but could not shake off the opposition – indeed, she had several coming at her in the lane, but she found enough to take a three-quarter victory of Ceffyl Dwr, with Givem The Goo, stuck with the tuck-then-first-over journey photoed out of the deuce. Jim Campbell trains the winner for Coyote Wynd Farms.
Much of the excitement on the program (which trickled into evening after a 2:05 start to run parallel to the Breeders Cup) was generated by drivers Montrell Teague and George Napolitano, Jr., who each brought four horses home first.
The feature on Sunday’s 12:40 card is a $16,200 handicap pace which has gathered a talented group: two horses, Sugartown and J M Mandamin, have already earned over $100,000 this year, and five of the eight entrants have lifetime marks of 1:50 or better, with a sixth at 1:50.1 and a seventh at 1:50.2.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)