Younger horses led off the headliners for this week at Harrah’s Philadelphia, with four $12,600 divisions of the “non-winners three races” class giving up-and-comers a chance to show their developing abilities.
The Heston Blue Chip sophomore gelding Dragon City was sitting in the pocket around the far turn in his division, awaiting clearance. When first-over Pick A Genre bore out, driver Troy Beyer pulled on the right line, getting the winner of four of nine home by a head, over the resurgent Pick A Genre in 1:53. Joe Karrat conditions the consistent (eight of nine starts finishing 1-2-3) pacer for owner Jerry Zollo.
The other contest for pacing males was also taken by driver Troy Beyer, here with Pompeo Hanover in 1:54.2. Beyer may be the one horseman who has had a good deal of success rallying horses from well off the pace at this speed-favouring oval, and here the victorious sophomore gelding by Betting Line came from four-wide at headstretch to pick up favoured Effingham by a neck for trainer Jake Leamon and owner Marvin Rounick.
The section for distaff pacers saw the Sweet Lou three-year-old Blazing Ramona squeak into this class through the AE provision (her bankroll before the race of $29,532 was just under the “nw $30,000 lifetime” boundary), and that’s how she recorded her third win in four starts at this level. Jack Pelling pulled the pocket on 100-1 pacesetter Sandradimples entering the backstretch and those two had a hard battle the rest of the way, with Blazing Ramona finally getting the decision of the mare who defied her odds by a neck. Leah Vandervort trains the winner for Anatolia Racing LLC.
A division for trotters went to the Detour Hanover filly Youre Dead To Me, who took the lead past the quarter and staved off pocketsitting Fashion Cocktail by three-quarters of a length while reducing her mark to 1:56.3. Corey Callahan drove the sophomore for the brother team of trainer Tom and owner John Cancelliere.
In the $11,200 fast-class pace, the Shadow Play gelding Jacks Shadow N went to the lead past the quarter then steamed hone in :55.2 - :27.3 for a 1:51.3 victory, three-quarters of a length ahead of pocketsitter Benhope Rulz N. Tim Tetrick was in charge of the winner of $250,041 for trainer Scott DiDomenico and the partnership of Triple D Stables Inc., Oompa’s Farm Inc., and Robert Mondillo.
The colours yellow and green figured in many of the winners mentioned above: Horses pulling drivers wearing those colours visited Victory Lane 10 times today. Troy Beyer led the sulky-sitters with four victories, while Corey Callahan and Tim Tetrick both notched three tallies.
“Trottin’ Thursday” will again gather together fast horses such as Amigo Volo and JL Cruze in a $22,500 handicap event. On Friday Jimmy Freight, rated #1 in the sport’s Top Ten poll for several weeks before taking some time off, will compete three days after qualifying here in 1:50.4 in his $22,500 pacing handicap event; there will also be a $22,500 pacing mares handicap feature, with Betsy Ross winner Majorca N at the riverside oval. Post time both days will be at 12:25 p.m.; program pages are or will be available at the Harrah's website.
(PHHA / Harrah's Philadelphia)