A pair of $14,400 conditioned events, one on each gait, topped the Friday afternoon (Dec. 10) card at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
When the featured pace went gateward as the last race on the 14-race card, the lights were shining to illuminate the track during dusk. And Terry A Hanover, who had raced in the sunshine at the Pennsylvania fairs much of the year, had little problem adjusting to the lack of sun, leading at every call to win in 1:54.1 for driver George Napolitano Jr., who won the last three races to lead the Philly colony with four wins on Friday. Stunners Wish gave good chase from the pocket but came up a neck shy behind the Artspeak sophomore colt, who is tied for second among three-year-old pacers after notching his 14th success of the campaign for trainer Todd Schadel and owners Christine Schadel and Caitlin Solt.
The trotting feature went to Meadows invader Hip Hop Gracie, making her first start for trainer Claude Huckabone III and owner James Marshall IV a successful one in 1:57.4. Anthony Morgan left hard with the sophomore daughter of Bar Hopping and put favoured Zsa Zsa Dabor in behind her early. The pacesetter got her own way to the half, held off the persistent first-over bid of Chocos Choice (who would eventually run mid-stretch), then was kept together to withstand pocket-sitting Zsa Zsa Dabor by a half-length.
On Sunday, the $16,200 pacing feature will find Stars Align A looking to add to his six-figure seasonal bankroll for the brother-sister team of driver Joe and trainer Jennifer Bongiorno. Program pages for Sunday’s 12:40 p.m. card are available on the PHHA website.
This coming week and next, Harrah’s will race on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, with the action starting at 12:40 p.m. on Sundays and 12:25 p.m. during the work week with the exception of Christmas Eve (December 24), when the races will begin at noon. Between Christmas and New Year’s, there will be racing on Wednesday and Thursday at 12:25 p.m. and New Year’s Eve Friday at noon.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia)