Shes Pukka N went right to the top and never looked back, winning the $22,500 distaff handicap pacing feature on Sunday (May 1) at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 1:50.4.
Majorca N, starting from the outside in the field of five after winning her first four U.S. starts, was the odds-on favourite, but she got away last while her Kiwi countrymate got away first for driver Tony Morgan, posting fractions of :26.4, :55.3 and 1:23.2. Rockn Philly, sitting the pocket trip, moved out to give the leader a hard challenge approaching the last-named station.
Majorca N got no help at all from cover and was far behind the top two turning for home. Rockn Philly sustained her bid, but the victorious daughter of Betterthancheddar still had plenty in the tank, dashing home in :27.2 to defeat the pocket-sitter by three-quarters of a length. Majorca N lost little luster despite her first Stateside loss, covering her back half in :54.1/:26.4, but she had too far to come against Shes Pukka N, a winner of $459,084 who is trained by Brian Malone for owner Peter Paul Venturini.
In the $14,400 co-featured pace for developing horses, the Big Jim four-year-old gelding Springbridge Duel said adios to his field in the last half, winning by 13-1/4 lengths while equaling his mark of 1:51.2. Dexter Dunn was just a passenger behind the Jennifer Bongiorno trainee, who came home in :55.1 for owners Glenn Goller, Abraham Basen, and Mark Harder.
Tim Tetrick captured seven of the afternoon’s races, increasing his meet-leading driving victory total to 35 on the first twelve cards, or almost three a performance. On this card Tetrick brought home two winners each for trainers Jeff Cullipher and Scott Di Domenico.
This Wednesday will be the last dark Wednesday of the early season; racing resumes at the riverside oval on Thursday (May 5) at 12:25 p.m. (EDT). On May 11, Harrah’s will go to its regular schedule of Wednesday-Friday racing at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m. This coming week Philly will also conduct a special live card on Saturday, Kentucky Derby Day, with the trotters and pacers taking to the track at 12:40. Program pages will be available at https://www.phha.org/
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)