George Napolitano, Jr., the winningest driver at Harrah’s Philadelphia five years running, and New Zealand star Dexter Dunn dominated the competition over a “sloppy” surface during a special Friday evening card at Harrah’s Philadelphia, each winning five races.
For Dunn, it was his first five-bagger on one card in North America; Napolitano is the Philly track record holder with his 10 victories during the performance of November 11, 2009.
The two horsemen split the $16,000 feature events on the card. In a contest for trotters, Napolitano rallied the Guccio gelding Northern Credit to victory in 1:56.4 while catching Navarone Hanover, who had made a big backstretch move to command, by a head. Mike Terripolli trains the winner for owners Gary Mosher and Nichole White-Matson.
Dunn made a pace-controlling move in front of the stands with the Somebeachsomewhere sophomore filly Stonebridge Soul, then scooted her home in :55.1 despite the off going to take the pacing distaff headliner in 1:53.1. Runner-up Rockn Philly, like the winner making her seasonal debut, and both fillies are likely to be back on the Philly track next Friday afternoon when the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes starts its 2019 campaign.
Stonebridge Soul is trainer by Chris Ryder for Henderson Farms and Robert Mondillo, and she boosted her lifetime earnings to $124,790.
The American Ideal mare American Express N made her North American debut a successful one in the $14,500 pace for fast-class mare, teaming with “countrymate” Dunn for a 1:53 victory by 1-3/4 lengths over Empress Deo.
Trainer Aaron Lambert, also co-owner of the winner with Kenneth Tucci, saw immediate dividends with the import, and more may soon be on the way for them based on the sharp form she showed.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)