On a Thursday afternoon at Harrah's Philadelphia with temperatures near freezing and a stiff headwind blowing as they battled to the wire (resulting in a one second allowance), the four-year-old Resolve gelding Resolve To Win got a rather civilized trip and was up to capture the $21,127 Winners Over Handicap trotting feature in 1:55.2.
There was action aplenty into turn one, as Resolve To Win made the lead from the middle of the seven-horse field then yielded to the front-favouring mare Chake, who paid a :27.2 price for command. Chake could back the half off to :57.2 but then had to step the three-quarters up to 1:25.4, as a live cover flow moved up to challenge her. The outer horses stalled turning for home, and driver Tim Tetrick steered Resolve To Win to the passing lane, where his resolve to win came through in defeating Chake by three parts of a length. A 30 per cent career winner (17-for-57), Resolve To Win is currently trained by Jeff Cullipher for Pollack Racing.
The Walner sophomore filly Pisco Sour was the only non-favourite to capture one of the day’s four features, just catching the chalk Im An Andover by a nose very late in a 1:56.4 mile to win a $19,718 trot. The latter was out most of the :28.1 quarter and maintained the advantage through mid-splits of :58.1 and 1:26.2, and almost made the lead stand up. But Pisco Sour, joining the Per Engblom barn and making her first start in 45 days, had cover in the third quarter, lost it to a break and continued up raw for driver Rikard Skoglund, and was along in time for Jorgen Sparredal Inc.
In an $18,310 pace for class-climbing distaffs, the Huntsville mare Turn On The Charm made two strong moves en route to a 1:55.2 success. Streaking out of the gate for Corey Callahan, the winner hung second-choice Seeuontheotherside well past a :27.3 quarter before yielding, then popped out of the pocket past the :57.4 half and went right back to the lead. Blue Point tucked behind Turn On The Charm before the 1:26.2 three-quarters but could get no closer, finishing 1-3/4 lengths behind the winner, who now has succeeded in 11 of 29 lifetime starts. Trainer Bruce Clarke is co-owner of Turn On The Charm with Charming Roses and John Coffey.
In an $18,056 distaff handicap pace for the fast-class horses, Tetrick and Team Cullipher/Pollack parlayed another pocket trip to victory, this time with the Pet Rock mare Blood Moon A, who won in 1:54.2. Miki In Luv set early fractions of :27.1 and :57.3, then was tested hard by first-over DC Batgirl through and past a 1:25 three-quarters. DC Batgirl took the lead in the stretch but didn’t have enough late to out-finish the winner, who enjoyed a half-length advantage on the money.
Tetrick posted three winners on the day, giving him 17 successes in his last five cards of racing at Philly. He has opened up a 15-win advantage with just eight cards to go in the 2024 season at Philly as he pursues his fourth straight local dash title.
Pacers have the spotlight on the 12:25 p.m. Friday card at Harrah’s Philly, with a $14,000 USD handicap contest for the fast-class horses and two $13,500 USD events for the developing set. Twenty-one-year-old Brett Beckwith, battling Jason Bartlett for second place in the North American dash standings behind perennial leader Aaron Merriman, will have a full set of drives on the Friday card.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)