The Papi Rob Hanover-Fade gelding Th Colby tripped out to take the $18,243 featured conditioned pace for developing males on Sunday, May 2 at Harrah's Philadelphia, leading a trio of winners for trainer Ron Burke.
Tim Tetrick sat second with Th Colby as Lazarus Star (Andy Miller) took over before a :28 quarter and then got a breather to the half in :57.3. The winner stayed close to the leader to a 1:24.2 three-quarters, then moved from the two-hole to beat the pacesetter by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:51.4. Lazarus Star finished second, followed by Silent Investor (Corey Callahan). Th Colby is now five-for-34 lifetime with $278,512 in earnings. The four-year-old is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Phil Collura, Lawrence Karr, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby. He paid $2.60 to win.
Burke opened his account with Always B Hula ($3), also driven by Tetrick, in the sixth race, and completed the triple in the $14,865 sub-feature for fast-class pacers, which produced the fastest time of the day. The Sweet Lou-Riley Character gelding Solid Character, driven by Joe Bongiorno, stepped his last half in :54.4 on the lead to withstand an increasingly menacing pocket-sitting favourite Major Hothooves N (Tetrick) by a head in 1:50.4. Lincoln La Moose N (Mark Herschberger) completed the ticket. Solid Character won for the ubiquitous combination of Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Burke leads North America with 272 wins so far in 2026.
A $17,808 conditioned sidewheeling contest for experienced performers was won by Newsroom. The son of Always B Miki-Well Hello There gained three lengths from racing third at the three quarters by stepping off a :27.3 kicker to catch pacesetting favourite Sugar Man (Tetrick) by a half-length. Pocket-sitter Jacks Shadow N (Bradley Chisholm) was another neck back in third. Newsroom, owned by Lawrence Vukovic and William Daggett Jr., was driven by Art Stafford Jr. for trainer Stacy Johnson-Stafford, who has been winning at a 22.3 per cent clip since getting her trainer’s license back in August.
Tetrick paraded back to victory lane four times, twice behind Burke horses. Bongiorno drove a Burke winner once, which moved Burke closer to Bongiorno’s meet lead for training triumphs. George Napolitano Jr. drove two winners, while Andrew Harris trained the winners of the early double for his two-bagger.
Racing returns to Harrah’s Philly on “Trottin’ Thursday” at 12:25 p.m., with the usual complement of tough diamondgaiters loaded up throughout the various classes.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)