Four-year-old Marseille, whose full brother Rome Pays Off goes in the Hambletonian eliminations tomorrow, set a good example for his “younger brother” with a commanding 1:53.2 victory in the $12,800 trotting feature Friday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Marseille (Muscle Hill – Order By Wish), who posted a 50-1 upset holding off Greenshoe in the Beal Final last year at Pocono, had the top here in a matter of steps and put up fractions of :27.4, :57, and 1:25.2 for trainer/driver Åke Svanstedt, coasting home to win by three lengths while raising his lifetime bankroll to $509,678 for Åke Svanstedt Inc., Order By Stable, and Howard Taylor.
Svanstedt didn’t have quite as good luck in one of two $10,400 co-featured events for baby trotters, as his filly Red Redemption made a break in her debut as the favourite. It was the Muscle Hill – Rarely Wrong colt Rare Muscle who rallied up the inside to just get by Mystical King for a new mark of 1:57.2. Tim Tetrick drove the Lucas Wallin trainee for Mazza Racing Stable LLC.
Another late charger won the other baby co-feature, this style going against the pattern of recent racing at Philly. The Donato Hanover – Aunt Mae filly Anoka Hanover came home furiously for the second race in a row, closing with a :56.1 last half and making up four lengths from headstretch to decision favoured DDs Diamond in the shadow of the wire in a new mark of 1:56.4. Andrew McCarthy had the timing just right with the filly for trainer Noel Daley, who is also co-owner with L A Express Stable LLC and Caviart Farms.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)