Longshots ruled in the $19,178 fast-class handicap pace on Sunday afternoon, July 7 at Harrah’s Philadelphia after heavy favourite Ervin Hanover was interfered with while behind non-advancing cover, but Wager On Me was impressive in his own right while taking a new mark of 1:48.3 on the hot day at 14-1.
Tony Morgan got the Bettors Delight gelding away in the pocket after Nicholas Beach cleared right to the lead and put up splits of :26.2 and :55. The two-hole positioning was very important when Nicholas Beach hummed a :25.4 third quarter to reach the three-quarters in 1:20.4, not letting the outer tier, which included the chalk, get near the front. The fast fractions caught up with the pacesetter, and Wager On Me went by him by 2-1/2 lengths. The winner of $450,839 is trained by Joseph Columbo for George & Tina Dennis Racing.
Lyons Steel also stopped the timer in 1:48.3 while winning the $15,068 fast-class pacing sub-feature, taking a new mark at age nine. Simon Allard got the Rock N Roll Heaven gelding to the top and rattled off fractions of :26.3, :54.3 and 1:21.1. The three-year-old Booming Economy did very well late but still was half a length shy of the winner of $774,522 who is trained by Jose Ramos and owned by BD Racing LLC. Lyons Steel was associated for many years with trainer Dennis Watson, who passed away in March, and the pacer fittingly won the Dennis Watson Memorial at Freehold earlier this year.
The Tall Dark Stranger-Ideal Newton two-year-old colt Nikola J faced older opposition in his purse debut – a group which he defeated in 1:52, marking him as a colt to be watched for trainer Scott Di Domenico and the ownership of Oompa’s Farm Inc. and Joseph Barbera. Cowboy Cargo moved to the lead after a :27.4 quarter, got to the half in :56.4, then came under attack by first-over Moses to a 1:24.1 three-quarters. Tim Tetrick, leading driver on the day with four victories, was in perfect second-over position with the baby, who showed :27 speed coming home to defeat the game Moses by a length.
When Philly racing resumes on Wednesday, July 10, bettors will have a big opportunity, as not only will there be a $7,578.62 carryover going into the fifth race’s start of the Pick-5 wager, but the pool for the Pick-5 has been guaranteed to be $25,000. The Wednesday card gets underway at 12:25 p.m.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)