Despite an absence from racing of 33 days, the Cantab Hall gelding Final Dream showed he was ready for his opposition in the $16,000 trotting feature on the Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 25) card at Harrah’s Philadelphia, going by late to post a 1:56.2 victory.
George Napolitano Jr. positioned Final Dream in a lively outside flow, followed cover to the stretch, then tipped wide to catch Miss You Kelly by a length for trainer Christie Collins and owner Howard Jacobs.
The victory continued a hot streak for Napolitano, who is currently third in North America with 482 driving wins this season, trailing only Aaron Merriman and Tim Tetrick. Between Pocono and Harrah's Philadelphia, Napolitano has won 28 races since last Wednesday’s program at Harrah’s, including four times on this card.
A $14,000 co-featured pace saw the American Ideal gelding Warrawee Total sit the pocket, gain into a :55.2 last half to take a short stretch lead, then hold off a late-kicking Walleywalleyinfree in 1:53.3. George Brennan guided Warrawee Total to his second victory in three starts for trainer Eddie Sager and The Right Move Racing LLC.
The more seasoned performers contested $12,500 events — one on each gait. On the trot, Di Oggi forced a fast early pace, then sat in reserve until the stretch when he came up the inside to win in 1:55.3. Trainer Francisco Del Cid also drove the victorious son of Crazed for Whiskey Trail Stables LLC.
On the pace, the favoured Panspacificflight gelding Control Tower got away in the two-hole for driver George Brennan, stalked pacesetting Maroma Beach, then out-rushed him home to win by a length in 1:51.1. The winner of $368,541 is trained by Nick Surick for Dynasty Racing South.
(PHHA/Harrah's Philadelphia)