Driver Art Stafford Jr. notched the 2,000th win of his career when he piloted Happy That ($7.20) to a 1:56.3 victory in Sunday afternoon's (Aug. 18) ninth race at Harrah's Philadelphia.
Happy That, a four-year-old son of Muscle Hill trained by Martin Davis for owner Jeffrey Startt, made a first-over push from third up the backstretch to reel in and overpower early pacesetter Sleek N Majestic on the far turn. Happy That won the $14,000 conditioned trotting event by one and a half lengths over the late-rallying E Ell Cruze.
Art Stafford Jr., aboard Happy That, earned his 2,000th career driving win on Sunday at Harrah's Philadelphia.
Stafford, who began driving in 1984 and competes primarily on the Delaware circuit, is in the midst of his fourth consecutive season in which he has surpassed $1 million in purse earnings. He drove a career-high 232 winners and amassed over $2.4 million in purses in 2017.
In the $18,000 pacing feature, Alluneedisfaith N ($3.60) converted at odds-on, brushing out of midfield at the half-mile pole to claim the pocket from a gapping Blake North before grinding down pacesetter Lets Roll by two and a quarter lengths in a lifetime best 1:49.4. Corey Callahan drove the five-year-old Art Major gelding for trainer Ross Croghan and the Robert Cooper Stables.
Racing will return to Harrah's Philadelphia with a 14-dash card on Wednesday (Aug. 21), featuring four Pennsylvania Stallion Series races for two-year-old pacing fillies. Post time will be at 12:25 p.m. (Eastern).
(Harrah's Philadelphia)