The Deweycheatumnhowe gelding In Secret, glad to be away from the likes of Homicide Hunter, Guardian Angel AS, and Marion Marauder and in the $18,000 featured trot on Thursday at Harrah’s Philadelphia, showed his appreciation by taking a new mark of 1:52.3.
Yannick Gingras let Gold Medal Swan and Tyson argue through and past the :27.3 opening quarter, then moved quickly to gain the lead at the 3/8 and went on to the half in :55.4. There was not a serious outer flow to the three-quarter pole in 1:24.1, and In Secret was able to open up some space into the stretch, then stayed clear of a resurgent Gold Medal Swan by 2-1/4 lengths, with Tyson holding for third.
The six-year-old Ron Burke trainee continues to work on his second straight $200,000+ season: he now has a bankroll of $222,001 this year and $594,882 lifetime for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, J&T Silva Stables Inc and Lawrence Karr.
The $14,500 co-featured trot was taken in strong wire-to-wire fashion by the Chapter Seven mare Chapter Too, who reduced her lifetime best to 1:53.4. George Napolitano Jr. had Chapter Too on the point before the :27.4 opener, rated the half to :57.1, then came home unthreatened in :56.3 – :28 for her eighth seasonal victory, raising her 2018 earnings to $107,925 and her lifetime accumulation to $253,333. Jenny Melander trains the winner for Belmar Racing & Breeding LLC.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)