Elizabeth Murphy harnessed her first-ever winner on Friday, Aug. 21 at Harrah's Philadelphia.
First-time starter Bett On Mookie, a two-year-old Lather Up-Bluffs Real Deal colt, provided Murphy with her first training triumph in the 10th race, a $16,667 conditioned event for young male pacers, coming home strong in :27.3 for the two-length tally in 1:53.3. The colt is a homebred for driver Montrell Teague, also owner as Mst Racing Inc.
Bett On Mookie paid $4.20 to win as the favourite after overhauling the front duo of Adios Hanover (Jonathan Ahle) and Social Justice (Art Stafford Jr.).
Bett On Mookie was Murphy's third starter but this was not her first “horseperson’s” visit to the winner's circle, as she had driven a winner at the Washington Court House (OH) Fair in 2019.
In the day's featured $18,056 fast-class distaff handicap pace, Tick A Loch A backed off (relatively) early and had a good seat behind sulky pyrotechnics that blazed for three eighths of a mile, then came on first-over for the victory.
Handicapped with the outside slot in the field of seven, Tick A Loch A went away from the gate a bit before electing a mid-pack tuck late on the first bend, which proved a good tactic – for Blood Moon A (inside), Hers Hungry (between horses) and Bath Bomb (widest) waged front-end three-across war past a :26.3 quarter and still fought past the three-eighths, until Bath Bomb emerged on top and Hers Hungry finally got into the pocket in front of Blood Moon A, with the half in a sizzling :54.1.
George Napolitano Jr., driving the favoured Tick A Loch A, commenced a second move frontward by the half and had gotten to within a length of Bath Bomb by the 1:21.4 three-quarters. Tick A Loch A, a recent Invitational winner at Yonkers Raceway, continued on to stretch command and then could summon enough to hold off 62-1 shot Promising Moment by a neck in 1:50.1 for a new lifetime mark, with Bath Bomb lasting for third.
Chris Height trains Tick A Loch A, a six-year-old daughter of Always B Miki-Timely Loch, for owner Michael Casalino Jr. of Freehold, New Jersey. The win was the mare's seventh in 19 starts during her first North American racing season in which she has earned $268,135.
Philly’s racing week closes out on Sunday at 12:40 p.m., with Pennsylvania-sired two-year-old male trotters going in their last preliminaries in the Sire Stakes and Stallion Series, trying to earn enough points to qualify for their rich championships in early September.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)