The evergreen trotter JL Cruze made an early move to control the pace and went on to win the $15,069 top fast-class contest on “Trottin’ Thursday” at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
The 13-year-old Crazed gelding was on the move before Crazyland hit the quarter in :27.4, going on to the lead and posting middle fractions of :56.4 and 1:24.4, with favoured Rivers coming up first-over to challenge. The chalk’s bid was shaken off, and JL Cruze’s biggest challenge came to his left from Crazyland (by Crazy Wow, a son of Crazed); that bid was held at bay by a half length in a mile in 1:54, over a track that was not at its fastest on this day.
The victory was the 67th of JL Cruze’s career and the 137th time he has hit the board in 230 career trips to the gate, which have brought him $1,992,266. Johnathan Ahle steered the wily veteran to the win for trainer Eric Ell and owners Ken Wood, William Dittmar Jr., and Stephen Iaquinta.
The $13,699 fast-class trot sub-feature was won by the Donato Hanover gelding College Tuition, who led from the first step to the last to stop the clock in 1:54.2, with his last half in :56.2. Russell Foster was in the sulky behind the winner of two straight for trainer/owner Eric Foster.
The day’s top race for pacers also carried the biggest purse of the card, $16,438, and the lion's share was taken by Stay Hungry sophomore gelding De La Hoya Hanover, enjoying a drop from Pennsylvania Stallion Series opponents to record a 1:54.4 victory. Tyler Miller raced the horse on the lead and got a pair of :28.1 splits out of him in the back half to withstand first-up Avellino by a length for trainer Ron Coyne Jr. and the partnership of Ron Coyne Stables Inc., Blair Corbeil, Mike Mcallister and Edward Pachuta.
Five drivers doubled on the Thursday card, none of them a winner in the three features: Troy Beyer, David Miller, Marcus Miller, George Napolitano Jr., and Tim Tetrick. Crissy Crissman-Bier was the only trainer to taste success twice.
Developing distaff pacers will share the spotlight on Friday with high-priced claimers of the same gait, with the card beginning at 12:25 p.m. and also featuring a carryover into the fifth race Pick-5 wager. Racing continues on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. with three-year-old trotting fillies contesting Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series events, with the “Queen” of the division, Elista Hanover, going for her sixth straight win and her fourth consecutive triumph in a stakes. Free Philly programs are available at phha.org.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia; Photo of JL Cruze from a previous win at The Meadowlands)