Thirsty Thursday yielded to favoured Railroad Station to sit the pocket in the $18,493 featured conditioned pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday, July 13, then moved out of the two-hole and caught the chalk by a neck in a 1:50.4 upset.
Thirsty Thursday, an altered sophomore son of Huntsville-Tequila Monday, was on top well before reaching the quarter in :27.1, then ceded command to the brushing Railroad Station (Dave Miller) in front of the stands and sat in the golden chair through middle splits of :55.4 and 1:23.2. Railroad Station had a :27.2 last quarter left in him, but it wasn’t enough to resist the wide-rallying Thirsty Thursday, who won by a quarter-length. Trumpster Blues (Mark Herschberger) finished third.
Thirsty Thursday was driven by Simon Allard for trainer Hunter Oakes and the ownership of Flying A Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey. The gelding has won two of five starts this year. He paid $22.60 to win.
The Betting Line-Talk Time gelding Bettor Not Talk had little trouble in beating out the $15,068 fast-class pacing field in 1:50. Tim Tetrick got him away third, then moved nearing the :27.2 quarter and grabbed command, rated him to middle splits of :55.1 and 1:22.3, and maintained full control to the wire to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Vicious (Joe Bongiorno). Hiranya N (Jonathan Ahle) was third. Scott Di Domenico conditions the winner, who is three-for-11 this season, for owner Allen Wenc.
After the stakes victories by distaffs Twin B Joe Fresh and Miki And Minnie at The Meadowlands on Saturday night, trainer (and newly-minted U.S. Hall of Famer) Chris Ryder sent out a first-time starter in the freshman Stay Hungry-Fashion Hill colt Panther Hill. And the Tom Hill homebred was most impressive, making the lead from the outermost slot, putting up :28.3, :58 and 1:26.1 splits, then storming home in :26.4 to leave the field behind by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:53 under the guidance of Dexter Dunn. Winnercircleseeker (Tetrick) took the place spot over Toby Ornot Toby (Bongiorno).
Dunn was also behind debutant Brandon Blvd, a Downbytheseaside-Alexis Faith colt who fetched $574,324 at auction, and he went wire-to-wire with fractions of :29.3, :59.2 and 1:27.3, with pocket-sitter Mick Steamy (Tetrick) staying close but not a big threat in the 1:55.2 mile. Andrew Harris trains the freshman and co-owns him with partners William Pollock and Bruce Areman. Mick Steamy was second by 1-3/4 lengths. Yankee Brew (Bongiorno) finished well back in third.
Dunn led all Philly drivers on the afternoon with three victories.
For the second card in a row, driver Johnathan Ahle brought in a $50+ winner, taking the local lead in that category. His win on Sunday with R N B Band ($64) followed the meet’s highest-priced winner, Sporty Design ($136.20), on Friday.
A pair of $10,274 pacing races for the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) were won by Yogi Sheridan in rein to his own trainee Fearless Fury, a popular 1:54.2 winner, and Raymond Burt driving his stable's A Stud Named Sam, 1:56.3 winner as the 9-5 second choice.
Harrah’s Philadelphia's schedule during the month of July is Wednesday through Friday with a 12:25 p.m. first post and Sunday at 12:40 p.m. This week, Philly hosts Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Stallion Series competition for trotting fillies -- two-year-olds on Thursday and three-year-olds on Friday.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia & AHDC)